In summer, the number of patients with otitis media will increase, mostly caused by swimming. Why is this?
What is the reason why you are prone to otitis media after swimming?
The weather is hot in summer, and swimming is a summer sport for most people. When children are on vacation, most parents will take their children to the swimming pool. However, children have no idea about healthy swimming and just have fun. As long as you are happy, many parents will ignore this issue. In fact, if swimming methods and movements are improper and lead to choking on water, it is easy to cause otitis media.
When there is water in the nose and ears, the bacteria in the water can easily travel backwards through the nasal cavity and nasopharynx to the Eustachian tube and spread to the mucosa of the middle ear cavity, causing edema and infection, leading to fluid accumulation and obstruction in the middle ear. If the secretions cannot flow out, it will cause acute otitis media. Especially for children, the Eustachian tube is short and still in the development stage. Once they choke on water while swimming, germs can easily enter and cause otitis media. In addition, factors such as colds, poor immunity, damage to the external auditory canal, or excess earwax may also lead to infection of the external auditory canal after swimming, and subsequently otitis media.
Can patients with otitis media swim?
Swimming is a very popular sport. Some people still like to swim even if they have otitis media. So, can patients with otitis media swim?
Patients with otitis media do not necessarily have to avoid swimming. There is no problem with swimming after acute otitis media is cured. However, for some patients with chronic long-term ear discharge and pus, they must be careful not to allow water to enter their ears when swimming. Because such patients have chronic inflammation, especially when encountering unclean swimming pool water, it can cause acute attacks and re-occurrence of pus, so attention should be paid to this situation. Of course, you can use special earplugs to plug your ears to prevent water from entering your ears.
It is not recommended for patients with otitis media to swim or fly if they have a cold. Therefore, targeted prevention and treatment are required. Patients who have never had otitis media do not need to take special prevention, because there is no chronic inflammation in the normal ear canal and middle ear. Especially after some water enters, it will not cause inflammation. Normal people can clean it with a cotton swab after water enters the ear.
In general, you should pay attention to standard movements when swimming, avoid swimming in unclean water, and prohibit swimming when you are not feeling well. This can avoid otitis media after swimming to a greater extent.