ear problems

[bambi_blake]

i have had swimmer's ear on and off for yrs. i have found ways to keep myself from getting water in my ears when i shower and i never duck my head under water so i am not as prone to swimmer's ear as i was when i was a teenager.

but i still have terrible ear infections (usually around this time of yr bc of my sinuses) and there are those occasional times when i'm washing my hair or out in the rain and the water does get inside, no matter how careful i am. but i've figured out how to remedy that by pulling on my earlobe and letting the water drain out.

sometimes when i sleep on one side (esp my right side) my ear drains almost like water is spilling out of my ear. and the last few days i've noticed that ear has been itchy (so i've been tryin to relieve it with mostly my finger or a bobby pin since i was instructed by my ear dr not to use q tips, but i did use a q tip after the pain started) and now i feel like my ear is swollen, which is similiar to how i feel when i have a swimmer's ear infection..except, it's not stopped up to where i can't hear.

it's like a burning sensation inside my ear, with crust inside it (i can feel it if i stick my finger inside), and it feels wet and swollen deep inside too. it's also tender outside my ear, like on the backside of the ear, near my hairline. also, bc i don't get water in my ears, if i can help it, my ears do tend to be "dryer" than normal and i get white gunk out of my right ear a lot.

could this be another swimmer's ear infection that i've accidently acquired? or could it just be a waxy build up and all i need is for it to be washed out? or could it be something else? i was reading about exzema and i do have sum forms of psorisis (dandriff, dark patches that i get sometimes on my neck and underarms, dry skin on my face, etc) but the dryness is only bad when i am out in the elements (summer=sun, winter=wind)

any help would be greatly appreciated. thanx!

[bambi_blake]

thank you for ur advice. i went to the ER and they said that it was from my allergies. they gave me sum shots and antibiotics and it's cleared up now.

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Looks like you have developed another episode of otitis externa or infections of the external ear. Ear canals can get swollen due to infections when it is referred to as otitis externa. The infecting agents are bacteria, fungi and viral. Bacterial infections need antibiotics and fungal anti fungal agents. Viral infections are by exclusion and do not need any antibiotic therapy. Ear canals can also get swollen due to allergies or injuries. Consult your primary care physician who will do blood tests and take a swab and may do a culture to determine the cause and prescribe appropriate medications.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.