Swimmer’s ear

Key facts Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer ear canal — it is also known as otitis externa. It causes itchy, painful ears and can cause discharge in the ear. It is usually treated with ear drops. To prevent swimmer’s ear, you can use ear drops, avoid things that irritate the skin of the ear canal and ensure your ears remain as dry as possible. Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) What is swimmer’s ear? Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the skin of the outer ear canal, and is also known as otitis externa. This type of infection is