Swimmer's Ear

Alternate Names : Acute Otitis Externa, External Canal Infection

What are the signs and symptoms of the infection?

Swimmer's ear generally causes discolored ear drainage and intense ear pain. Discharge from bacterial infections may be yellow or green. Discharge from a fungal infection might appear as a mixture of dark gray, white, and yellow pus with mold on its surface. Drainage might be foul-smelling.

Sometimes, when a person's ear canal is full of dirt or swollen, his or her hearing is impaired. The outer ear and ear canal are also very tender and painful to the touch. In addition, the person may have a fever.

Sometimes the tissue in front of and below the ear can also become painful, tender, and swollen. This occurs as the infection in the ear canal moves through small holes in the cartilage of the outer ear canal and then into the surrounding soft tissue.