Ear hurts after swimming, and tugging on it makes the pain worse? That’s the classic sign of swimmer’s ear. The fastest swimmer’s ear treatment is prescription ear drops from a walk-in provider who can look inside the canal and clean it out. Total Health Urgent Care in Vancleave sees swimmer’s ear on a walk-in basis 7 days a week, 7 AM to 7 PM, so a Gulf Coast summer earache doesn’t have to wait days for a clinic to open.
The short version:
- Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) is a bacterial infection of the outer ear canal, usually from water that stays trapped after swimming.
- The giveaway symptom is pain when you tug the earlobe or press the little flap in front of the ear.
- The standard treatment is prescription antibiotic ear drops, often combined with a steroid, plus gentle cleaning of the canal by a provider.
- With treatment, symptoms usually start improving in two to three days and most infections clear in about seven to ten days.
- Walk in to Total Health Urgent Care at 12000 Hwy 57 in Vancleave, or call (228) 283-5045.
What is swimmer’s ear, and what causes it?
Swimmer’s ear, known medically as otitis externa, is an infection of the outer ear canal, the tube that runs from the opening of your ear to the eardrum. It happens when water stays trapped in the canal after swimming, which washes away protective earwax and creates a warm, moist place for bacteria to grow. The CDC estimates swimmer’s ear leads to about 2.4 million health-care visits in the United States every year.
On the Mississippi Gulf Coast, plenty of local water fits that description. Kids and adults pick it up at the beaches in Ocean Springs and Pascagoula, in Bluff Creek right here in Vancleave, along the Pascagoula River, and at the splash pads families use all summer in Gautier. Warm water, long swim sessions, and humid coastal air all keep moisture sitting in the ear, which is why cases climb in the summer months.
It helps to know this is different from a middle-ear infection. Swimmer’s ear affects the outer canal and is tied to water and moisture. A middle-ear infection sits behind the eardrum and often follows a cold. The two are treated differently, which is one reason it’s worth having a provider actually look in the ear.
What are the symptoms of swimmer’s ear?
The most telling symptom is pain that gets worse when you pull on the earlobe or push on the tragus, the small flap of cartilage in front of the ear opening. That tenderness is what separates swimmer’s ear from most other earaches. Other common signs, according to the CDC and the American Academy of Family Physicians, include:
- Itching inside the ear canal
- Redness and swelling of the outer ear
- Pain that can become intense, sometimes spreading to the side of the face or neck
- Drainage of clear fluid or pus
- A feeling of fullness or muffled hearing if the canal swells shut
Fever is not a typical part of swimmer’s ear. If a high fever shows up, or pain and swelling start spreading beyond the ear, that points to something more serious and it’s time to be seen right away.
Swimmer’s ear vs a regular ear infection: how do you tell?
Here’s a simple side by side. Both cause ear pain, but the cause and the treatment are not the same.
Because the two look similar from the outside, a quick exam is the reliable way to tell them apart and get the right medicine the first time.
What is the treatment for swimmer’s ear?
The standard treatment is prescription ear drops. These are usually an antibiotic, and often include a steroid to bring down swelling. A provider also cleans debris out of the canal first so the drops can reach the infection. The American Academy of Family Physicians puts it plainly: “Most cases are treated with antibiotic ear drops. Sometimes antibiotic pills are needed.” Topical drops are the first-line choice for a typical case, not oral antibiotics.
At Total Health Urgent Care in Vancleave, a provider can look inside the ear with a scope, confirm it’s swimmer’s ear and not something else, clear debris from the canal so medication works, and send the right prescription to your pharmacy the same visit. Our walk-in urgent care services include ear infection evaluation and medication, with on-site lab testing if a provider needs it. There’s no appointment and no long wait for a doctor’s office to open.
How long does swimmer’s ear last?
With proper treatment, most people feel better quickly. Cleveland Clinic notes that symptoms usually start to improve within two to three days, and most infections go away in about seven to ten days once treatment begins. Left untreated, the infection can linger and get more painful, and the canal can swell shut, so starting drops sooner rather than later is the shorter, easier path.
Finishing the full course of drops matters even after the pain fades. Stopping early can let the infection come back. During treatment, keep the ear dry and skip swimming until a provider says the canal has healed.
Can you treat swimmer’s ear at home or with over-the-counter medicine?
Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can ease the ache while you arrange to be seen, but they don’t cure the infection itself. A true swimmer’s ear infection needs prescription drops, so home care is a bridge, not a fix.
A few things to avoid: don’t put cotton swabs or anything else down the canal, since that pushes debris deeper and can scratch already-inflamed skin. Don’t use leftover ear drops from an old prescription without a provider checking the ear first, especially if you’re not sure the eardrum is intact. If pain is significant or drainage is present, get it looked at rather than waiting it out.
When is swimmer’s ear serious enough to see a doctor?
See a provider promptly if the pain is more than mild, if there’s drainage from the ear, if the canal is swelling shut, or if symptoms don’t start improving within a couple of days of home pain relief. Certain warning signs mean you should be seen the same day: a high fever, swelling or redness spreading to the face or neck, or severe pain in someone with diabetes or a weakened immune system. In rare cases the infection can spread to nearby bone and tissue, a serious condition called malignant otitis externa that needs immediate medical care.
For a medical emergency, such as severe spreading swelling with high fever, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
For everything short of that, a walk-in urgent care is the right speed. Total Health Urgent Care is open 7 days a week from 7 AM to 7 PM, so whether the earache starts on a Saturday afternoon after the beach or on a weeknight after swim practice, you can be seen the same day.
How can you prevent swimmer’s ear?
Keeping ears dry is the whole game. The CDC recommends tilting your head to each side to drain water after swimming, drying the outer ear with a towel, and using a swim cap or ear plugs if you’re prone to it. Don’t dig in your ears with cotton swabs, which strip protective wax. If your ears tend to trap water, drying them gently after every swim goes a long way through a Gulf Coast summer.
Walk-in swimmer’s ear care in Vancleave
There’s no reason to drive out of town or sit on a waitlist for an earache. Our clinic is at 12000 Hwy 57 in Vancleave, an easy trip for families across Gautier, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula, and Moss Point. Doors are open daily, 7 AM to 7 PM, we take walk-ins with nothing to schedule, and we bill most major insurance directly while keeping self-pay prices clear. In one visit a provider can check the ear, clear the canal, and get the right prescription started.
If your ear is hurting after a day in the water, walk in, find us and our hours here, or call (228) 283-5045.
Frequently asked questions
Is swimmer’s ear contagious?
No. Swimmer’s ear is not passed from person to person. It comes from water and bacteria in your own ear canal, not from someone else, so there’s no need to keep a child home from being around others for that reason.
Can you still swim with swimmer’s ear?
It’s best not to. Swimming keeps the canal wet and can slow healing or make the infection worse. Wait until a provider confirms the ear has healed before getting back in the water.
Do you need antibiotics for swimmer’s ear?
Usually yes, but as ear drops rather than pills. The American Academy of Family Physicians notes most cases are treated with antibiotic ear drops, and only sometimes are oral antibiotics needed. A provider decides based on the exam.
What does a swimmer’s ear visit cost in Vancleave?
Our self-pay office visit is priced at $130. We also take most major insurance and bill it directly for you. Any prescription is filled at your pharmacy separately. See our pricing and insurance page or call (228) 283-5045 to confirm before you come in.
Can adults get swimmer’s ear or is it just kids?
Adults get it too. Anyone who spends time in the water can develop swimmer’s ear, though it’s common in children because of how much they swim in the summer.
Can I just walk in for an earache in Vancleave?
Yep, walk right in. No appointment is required at Total Health Urgent Care, open daily 7 AM to 7 PM at 12000 Hwy 57 in Vancleave.
Written by the team at Total Health Urgent Care, the independent Vancleave clinic founded by Jennifer Duncan, APRN, MSN, FNP-C. Consider this general health information, not a substitute for a medical exam of your own ear. For a medical emergency, call 911. Questions about an earache? Phone (228) 283-5045 or stop by 12000 Hwy 57 in Vancleave, MS 39565.
