When Parts Of Our Ears Become Red & Swollen…

Unlike our eyes, our ears do not have any protective lids to keep things from finding their way inside. Perhaps unsurprisingly, ear discomfort is common among those who spend a considerable amount of time in water.

We have terms such as ‘surfer’s ear’, which describes a condition in which lumpy bony growth forms in the ear canal due to prolonged irritation from cold and wet conditions. More common, though is ‘swimmer’s ear’, which describes ear discomfort such as pain, redness and swelling.

Swimmer’s ear is commonly attributed to water finding itself into the ear, but the actual cause is infection. The medical term for swimmer’s ear is otitis externa, and it can happen to anyone, not just swimmers.

Let’s find out more about otitis externa this month with Professor Dato’ Paduka Dr Balwant Singh Gendeh.

WHEN OUR EAR CANAL HAS UNINVITED GUESTS

Otitis externa is an infection in the ear canal. Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus are the most common unwanted guests that trigger this infection, but it is also possible for fungi (such as Candida albicans) to trigger an infection.

Such infection commonly affects swimmers and other people whose ears are in contact with water for a simple reason: the water that gets into the ear creates a moist environment that encourages the unwanted guests in the ear canal to increase in numbers large enough to cause an infection.

However, Prof Dr Balwant points out that otitis externa is not just a swimmer’s problem. Anyone can be affected by it, so long as certain conditions are present for the unwanted guests to thrive in the ear canal.

A suitable environment. Our ear canal is dark and warm, which makes it a great place for many bacteria and fungi to move in and live. These guests feed on the dead skin, secretions and various other substances trapped among the fine hairs in the ear canal.