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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Factors that may increase your risk of swimmer's ear include:

  • Swimming
  • Swimming in water with elevated bacteria levels, such as a lake rather than a well-maintained pool
  • A narrow ear canal — for example, in a child — that can more easily trap water
  • Excessive earwax production
  • Aggressive cleaning of the ear canal with cotton swabs or other objects
  • Use of devices such as headphones, a hearing aid or a swim cap
  • Skin allergies or irritation from jewelry, hair spray or hair dyes
References
  1. Goguen LA. External otitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 4, 2010.
  2. Osguthorpe JD, et al. Otitis externa: Review and clinical update. American Family Physician. 2006;74:1510.
  3. Kaushik V, et al. Interventions for acute otitis externa. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2010:CD004740.
  4. Swimmer's ear: Otitis externa. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/rwi/illnesses/swimmers-ear.html. Accessed Aug. 4, 2010.
  5. Swimmer's ear. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/swimmersEar.cfm. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
  6. Rubin MA, et al. Pharyngitis, sinusitis, otitis and other respiratory tract infections. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2883486. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
DS00473 Oct. 15, 2010

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