Swimming with Fluid Behind Ear Drum

[gyrocopter]

I contracted a case of swimmers ear (otis externa) about four days ago in both ears. The doctor gave me antibiotic ear drops to treat the problem and they seem to have worked pretty well. The ear irritation is almost all gone.

However, yesterday my left ear began feeling full and congested.  So I went to the doctor today and she said I had fluid behind my ear drum. She told me not to swim until all my symptoms fully cleared up (including the congested ears), however, she didn't really seem to have a good grasp of the difference between the infection and the fluid (wasn't a specialist).

I have two questions. First, why should an infection of the outer ear be causing fluid behind my ear drum? Did the infection spread and if so should I get new medication?
And second, should I swim with the fluid still behind my ear drum but with no more swimmers ear? Is swimming only bad if you have swimmers ear or also if you have an ear fluid problem?

[adbcab]

My daughter has fluid in her ears.  She has not had an infection but just fluid.  Will it be okay for me to let her go swimming?  If I do let her go should I use ear plugs.  She doesn't go under water  and wears floaties while swimming.  

[doctoryes]

Fluid behind the ear is secondary to infection in the throat or nose which can cause a backwater effect and block a tube called eustachian tube (which has easy access to ear, nose and throat and lies at the back of the nose) and thereby leads to absorption of air in the middle ear and it is replaced by a sterile fluid in the middle ear.If your ear drum is intact, then the two infections are not related to one incident.Coming to the question about you not swimming,I think you can just hold on your urge to hit the water for a couple of weeks as you have recently recovered from swimmer's ear.However,its not the water entering into the ears which can worsen the your effusion in the middle ear but can cause throat and nasal infection which could just prolong your recovery from the present problem.