How Clinics Diagnose and Treat Swimmer’s Ear During Hearing Tests

A summer afternoon at Hastings Aquacourt Water Park or Lake Hastings can leave your ears holding onto more water than you’d expect. Most people don’t think twice until an ear starts itching, feeling full, or turning painful a day or two later.

If you scheduled a hearing test around the same time, that irritation can actually show up in your results.

Swimmer’s ear isn’t just a summer nuisance; it can affect how well a hearing test reflects your actual hearing. Inflammation or fluid in the ear canal can make sounds seem softer or muffled during testing, even if your hearing itself hasn’t changed.

Audiologists know to look for these signs before assuming a hearing test tells the full story. Catching swimmer’s ear early means treating it properly and getting an accurate picture of your hearing once it clears up.

What Actually Causes Swimmer’s Ear

Swimmer’s ear starts when water gets trapped inside your ear canal and just sits there. That damp environment is basically an invitation for bacteria to grow. Swimming’s the obvious cause, but a shower, bath or even washing your hair can leave moisture behind too.

Around Hastings, summer means more trips to the lake or the pool, which means more time in the water. That’s why swimmer’s ear shows up so much more in the warmer months. The real risk kicks in when water doesn’t drain out on its own and just lingers in there.

The skin inside the ear canal also has its own protective barrier. Cotton swabs, fingernails and other objects can scratch that delicate skin. Even a tiny break gives bacteria an easier way in.

Signs of Swimmer’s Ear to Watch For

Swimmer’s ear often starts with itching or mild tenderness. The ear might feel sore when you touch or pull on it. As the infection gets worse, swelling and drainage often become more noticeable.

The symptoms are usually centered in the outer ear canal. A few signs are especially common:

• Itching that becomes harder to ignore
• Redness or swelling around the ear canal
• Pain when the outer ear is touched or moved
• Clear, yellowish or thicker drainage from the ear
• Muffled hearing when swelling or debris blocks the canal

Why Swimmer’s Ear Can Affect a Hearing Test

A swollen ear canal changes the path sound normally takes to the eardrum. Fluid, debris or inflamed tissue can partly block that path. During testing, softer tones might seem harder to hear than they usually are.

Pain also makes testing more difficult. If the ear is sore, wearing an insert earphone or concentrating on very quiet tones becomes uncomfortable. That can affect how consistently someone responds during the test.

The hearing change from swimmer’s ear is often temporary. Once the swelling and blockage clear, sound has a more open path through the canal again. Testing during an active infection might not reflect a person’s usual hearing.

Why Audiologists Look in Your Ears Before a Hearing Test

Before testing starts, an audiologist usually takes a quick look inside each ear. An otoscope provides a lighted view of the ear canal and eardrum. This helps reveal anything that could interfere with testing.

Redness, swelling, drainage or a large amount of earwax is usually easy to spot during this check. An irritated canal also matters because inserting testing equipment could be uncomfortable.

If the ear does not look healthy enough for testing, the evaluation might need to wait. That avoids putting pressure on a sore canal and reduces the chance of collecting misleading results. The visual check only takes a moment, but it gives important context before the hearing test begins.

Why Some People Get Swimmer’s Ear More Easily

Some ears are simply more prone to irritation than others. Skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis can leave the ear canal dry, itchy or easier to injure. Once that protective skin gets irritated, water and bacteria have an easier time causing trouble.

Daily habits matter too. Hearing aids, earbuds and earplugs sit inside or around the ear for long stretches. That can trap warmth and moisture, especially during hot weather or after swimming.

A history of ear infections, sensitive skin or frequent water exposure gives useful context when symptoms show up. It helps explain why one person develops swimmer’s ear after a single afternoon at the lake while someone else rarely has a problem.

How Swimmer’s Ear Is Diagnosed

Swimmer’s ear has a few signs that help separate it from problems deeper inside the ear. One of the most familiar is pain when the outer ear is gently pulled or when pressure is placed near the opening of the ear canal. Itching, redness, swelling and drainage also fit the picture.

A hearing care provider usually looks inside the ear with an otoscope to check the canal and eardrum. Recent swimming, drainage and when the discomfort started also help fill in the story. Diagnosis is generally based on that history along with what the ear looks and feels like during the exam.

That distinction matters because swimmer’s ear affects the outer ear canal. A middle ear infection sits behind the eardrum and usually feels different.

What Happens to Your Hearing Test if Your Ear Hurts

A sore, swollen ear canal is not the best place to put an insert earphone. If testing equipment would press against irritated skin, the audiologist might change the setup or hold off on part of the evaluation.

Over-ear headphones are sometimes more comfortable because nothing needs to sit inside the canal. Testing might also pause if pain makes it difficult to concentrate on the quiet sounds being presented.

An active infection can also affect the results themselves. Swelling, drainage or debris in the canal can block sound and make hearing look temporarily worse than usual. Waiting until the ear has healed often gives a clearer picture of your normal hearing.

Treating Swimmer’s Ear and Giving the Ear Time to Heal

Swimmer’s ear usually needs more than simply waiting for the water to dry. Treatment often involves medicated ear drops, especially when a bacterial infection is present. Keeping the ear dry during treatment is also an important part of recovery.

What you should not do is start putting random drops into a painful ear. Some products are not appropriate if there is a hole in the eardrum, ear tubes or active drainage. The CDC recommends checking with a provider before using ear-drying drops in those situations.

While the canal is healing, leave cotton swabs, fingers and other objects out of the ear. Those can scrape already irritated skin and make the soreness worse. For hearing aid wearers, the ear might also need a break from anything that rubs against the tender canal until wearing the device feels comfortable again.

When You Might Need a Follow-Up Visit After Swimmer’s Ear

Swimmer’s ear often starts improving after treatment, but the ear canal sometimes needs more time to fully settle down. You might still notice some itching, tenderness or drainage after the worst of the infection has passed. If those symptoms keep hanging on, the ear may need another look.

Hearing should also start to clear as swelling and debris leave the canal. If sounds still seem muffled after treatment, or the discomfort starts getting worse instead of better, it is worth following up. Severe pain, spreading redness or swelling around the ear should be checked promptly.

Tips for Preventing Future Cases of Swimmer’s Ear

Preventing swimmer’s ear mostly comes down to keeping water from sitting in the ear canal. Simple habits after swimming, showering or bathing help reduce that extra moisture. This matters even more if you spend a lot of time in pools, lakes or other water.

Try these simple ways to protect your ears:

• Gently dry the outer ear with a soft towel after getting out of the water.
• Tilt your head to each side and let trapped water drain naturally.
• Avoid putting cotton swabs, fingers or other objects inside the ear canal.
• Wear swim plugs if you spend a lot of time swimming.

Safely Returning to Your Hearing Devices After an Infection

It is best to wait until the swelling and soreness have settled before putting hearing aids or earmolds back in. Wearing them too soon can rub against irritated skin and trap extra warmth or moisture in the canal.

Before you start wearing them again, clean the devices carefully and replace disposable parts such as wax guards or domes if needed. If the ear starts to feel sore again once the device is back in, take that as a sign that the canal needs more time to heal.

When Ear Irritation Throws Off Your Test

Swimmer’s ear can throw off more than your comfort; it can throw off your hearing test too. Inflammation and fluid in the canal can make sounds seem softer than they actually are, even when nothing’s changed with your hearing.

GL Wyeno Hearing Specialists PC can tell the difference between temporary irritation and a real hearing change. If your ears have felt off since your last swim, mention it before you come in for a test. Call (866) 904-1412 and we’ll help you sort out what’s actually going on before drawing any conclusions.