Water in ear can lead to infection

If you're planning to hit the water this Fourth of July weekend here is a word of advice: getting water in your ears is not only annoying, it can lead to infection.

A dip in the pool feels great, but if the water's contaminated and it goes in your ear, you might end up with a painful condition called swimmer's ear.

Boy, it really hurts. And it hurts when you open and close your jaw, because you're compressing the canal. And it hurts when you pull your ear.

Swimmer's ear is not the same as a common childhood middle ear infection.

If water is stuck in your ear, skin begins to break down. You can get an inflammation. But you can also get an infection because of the dirty water that you get in there from an infected pool or infected water.

To prevent swimmer's ear, the centers for disease control and prevention recommends these tips:

• a pool or hot tub should have good chlorine and ph levels
• don't swim in lake or ocean areas closed because of pollution
• avoid putting objects in your ear, including fingers and cotton swabs
• dry your ears after swimming

If you can't get the water out, put a couple of drops of alcohol or some other medication that helps dry it out.

If the pain persists, see a doctor.

Swimmer's ear can be treated with antibiotic ear drops.