Swimmer's Ear

This passage discusses a medical condition of the ear called swimmer's ear.

Lexile Level: 920L

Categories: Sports & Health

Swimmer's ear is an infection of the ear canal. You can feel a little bit of your ear canal when you stick your finger in your ear. The ear canal has a thin layer of skin that is coated with wax. Usually water runs in and out of the ear canal quickly. You're not likely to get swimmer's ear from taking a shower. But if you go swimming and stay in the water for a long time, water in your ear canal may wash away the wax, which protects the ear. Bacteria can grow in the ear canal, causing it to hurt! Your ear might become red and itchy. Try not to scratch it, because the infection could spread. A doctor will probably give you drops to cure the infection. Be sure to use all the drops even if you feel better or the infection could come back. The worst part about having swimmer's ear is that you'll probably have to stay out of the pool for a week or so, until your ear is healthy again.