This is Part 3 of our five-part Summer Health Series. If you’re just joining us, start with Part 1: Ticks, Sunburn & Bug Bites and Part 2: Heat Exhaustion & Heatstroke. Up next: summer sports injuries; and travel health for NYC families.
Why Summer Is Peak Season for Ear Pain
It usually starts the same way. A great afternoon at the pool, the beach, or a city splash pad — and by bedtime, one ear aches, feels full, and is tender to the touch. By morning, even resting on the pillow hurts. That is the classic arc of swimmer’s ear, and in Brooklyn and Queens it is one of the most common reasons families walk into urgent care between June and September.
Swimmer’s ear — doctors call it acute otitis externa — is an infection of the outer ear canal, the tube that runs from the opening of your ear to your eardrum. It accounts for an estimated 2.4 million healthcare visits in the United States every year, and it is most common in children: kids aged 5 to 14 have the highest rates of any age group.
The good news: Swimmer’s ear is very treatable. Caught early, prescription ear drops usually clear it within 7 to 10 days. The hard part is recognizing it quickly — because the longer a swollen, infected ear canal goes untreated, the more painful it gets and the harder the drops are to deliver.
This post explains the difference between swimmer’s ear and a “regular” ear infection (they are treated very differently), the signs that mean it’s time to come in, how an urgent care visit works, and the simple habits that keep ears healthy all summer.
Swimmer’s Ear vs. a Middle Ear Infection: They’re Not the Same Thing
People use “ear infection” to mean two very different problems, and telling them apart matters because the treatment is not the same. The simplest way to think about it: swimmer’s ear is in front of the eardrum; a middle ear infection is behind it.
| Swimmer’s Ear (Otitis Externa) | Middle Ear Infection (Otitis Media) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is | The outer ear canal, in front of the eardrum | The space behind the eardrum |
| Usual cause | Trapped water lets bacteria grow in the canal | Usually follows a cold or other upper-respiratory virus |
| Telltale sign | Pain when you tug the earlobe or press the flap in front of the ear | Pain that’s often worse lying down; tugging the ear doesn’t change it |
| Other clues | Itchy, swollen, red canal; clear or pus-like drainage; muffled hearing | Fever, cold symptoms; common in young children |
| Typical treatment | Prescription antibiotic ear drops | Often watchful waiting; sometimes oral antibiotics |
Sources: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Mayo Clinic; Cleveland Clinic.
If you are not sure which one you’re dealing with, that’s completely normal — the two can feel similar from the outside. A quick look in the ear with an otoscope settles it in seconds, and that’s exactly the kind of thing urgent care is built for.
How to Tell If It’s Swimmer’s Ear: The Earlobe Test
There’s one quick check you can do at home. Gently pull on the earlobe or press the small flap of cartilage in front of the ear canal (the tragus). If that sharply increases the pain, swimmer’s ear is very likely — the infected canal is inflamed and tender, so moving it hurts. A middle ear infection generally doesn’t react to that tug.
Other common signs of swimmer’s ear include:
- Itchiness inside the ear canal — often the very first symptom, before any real pain
- A feeling of fullness or blockage, like the ear needs to “pop”
- Redness and swelling at the ear opening
- Drainage — clear fluid at first, sometimes turning to pus or developing a foul smell
- Muffled or decreased hearing on the affected side as swelling narrows the canal
- Pain when chewing or when the ear is touched
Swimmer’s ear can move fast. It often goes from mild itch to significant pain within a day or two, so it’s worth acting while symptoms are still mild.
When to Walk Into AG Urgent Care
Swimmer’s ear needs prescription treatment — over-the-counter products usually aren’t enough once an infection has set in. Walk into any AG Urgent Care location in Brooklyn or Queens for same-day evaluation if you or your child have:
- Ear pain after swimming, bathing, or a humid stretch of weather — especially pain that worsens when you tug the ear
- An itchy, full, or blocked feeling in the ear that isn’t going away
- Drainage or discharge from the ear canal
- Muffled hearing on one side
- Symptoms that started mild but are clearly getting worse over a day or two
You don’t need to wait for a primary care appointment, and you don’t need the ER for routine swimmer’s ear. Urgent care is the right level of care: fast, walk-in, and equipped to look in the ear and start treatment the same day.
Seek care urgently — same day — if any of these are present:
- Severe ear pain, or pain that seems out of proportion to how the ear looks
- Fever along with the ear symptoms
- Swelling or redness spreading to the outer ear or the skin around it
- Weakness or drooping on one side of the face, severe headache, or dizziness
- Diabetes, a weakened immune system, or older age plus a painful ear infection
In people with diabetes or a weakened immune system, an outer ear infection can rarely spread to nearby bone — a serious condition called necrotizing (malignant) otitis externa. It’s uncommon, but it’s the reason these groups should never “wait out” a painful ear.
What an Urgent Care Visit for Swimmer’s Ear Looks Like
- A look inside the ear with an otoscope to confirm it’s swimmer’s ear and to check that the eardrum is intact
- Gentle cleaning of the canal if debris or discharge is blocking it — this helps medication actually reach the infection
- Prescription ear drops — typically an antibiotic, sometimes combined with a steroid to calm swelling
- An ear wick in some cases — a small soft sponge placed in a very swollen canal so the drops can travel all the way in
- A clear plan for pain relief, how to use the drops correctly, and when to follow up if things aren’t improving
Most people feel meaningfully better within a few days of starting drops, with full resolution in about 7 to 10 days.
How to Prevent Swimmer’s Ear This Summer
Swimmer’s ear thrives on one thing: moisture trapped in the ear canal. Keep ears dry and you prevent most infections before they start.
- Dry your ears after swimming or showering. Tip your head to each side to drain water, and dry the outer ear gently with a towel.
- Use a hair dryer on the lowest, coolest setting, held at least a foot away, to dry the canal for a few seconds.
- Wiggle and tug. Tilt your head and gently pull the earlobe in different directions to help trapped water escape.
- Consider swim earplugs or a swim cap for kids who get swimmer’s ear repeatedly.
- Skip the cotton swabs. They push wax deeper and scratch the canal — and earwax is actually protective. Never put swabs, fingers, hairpins, or other objects in the ear.
- Ask about drying drops. For frequent swimmers with healthy eardrums, a few drops of a 1:1 mix of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar after swimming can help dry the canal and discourage bacteria.
Important: Do not use homemade alcohol-and-vinegar drops if there’s any chance of a perforated (ruptured) eardrum, ear tubes, current ear pain, or active drainage. In those cases the drops can cause harm. Check with a clinician first — and if you’re already in pain, skip the home remedy and get the ear looked at.
At-Home Care While You Wait to Be Seen
If you have mild symptoms and a visit is a few hours away, you can take the edge off safely:
- Use over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, following the label dosing.
- Apply a warm compress to the outside of the ear for comfort.
- Keep the ear dry — no swimming, and keep water out during showers until you’ve been treated and cleared.
- Don’t insert anything into the canal to scratch the itch or clean out drainage.
These steps manage symptoms — they don’t cure the infection. Swimmer’s ear genuinely needs prescription drops, so think of home care as a bridge to being seen, not a substitute.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if it’s swimmer’s ear or a regular ear infection?
The quickest clue is the earlobe test: if pulling gently on the earlobe or pressing the flap in front of the ear sharply increases the pain, it’s most likely swimmer’s ear (an outer ear canal infection). A middle ear infection sits behind the eardrum, usually follows a cold, often comes with fever, and isn’t made worse by tugging the ear. Because the two are treated differently — drops versus, sometimes, oral antibiotics — a quick look with an otoscope at urgent care is the reliable way to be sure.
Can swimmer’s ear go away on its own?
Mild irritation sometimes settles if the ear stays dry, but a true infection usually does not clear without prescription ear drops — and it tends to get more painful while you wait. Because untreated swimmer’s ear can worsen quickly and, rarely, lead to complications, it’s best to have a painful or draining ear evaluated rather than waiting it out.
How long does swimmer’s ear last?
With the right prescription drops, most people notice real improvement within a few days and are fully better in about 7 to 10 days. Pain that isn’t improving after 48 to 72 hours of treatment is a reason to be re-checked.
Can you get swimmer’s ear without swimming?
Yes. Any moisture trapped in the ear canal can trigger it — long showers, humid weather, and heavy sweating all count. It can also follow a scratch in the canal from a cotton swab or fingernail, or develop in people with eczema or psoriasis affecting the ear.
Is swimmer’s ear contagious?
No. Swimmer’s ear is not passed from person to person. It develops from conditions inside your own ear canal, so you can’t catch it from someone else or give it to anyone.
Can my child still swim with swimmer’s ear?
Not until it’s treated and cleared. Swimming keeps the canal wet, which feeds the infection and slows healing. Most kids can return to the water once treatment is finished and the ear is no longer painful — your clinician will give you a specific timeline.
Coming Up in Part 4
In Part 4 of our Summer Health Series, we’ll cover Summer Sports Injuries: Sprains, Strains & When You Need Imaging — how to tell a minor tweak from something that needs an X-ray, and what AG Urgent Care can handle same-day.
Sore Ear After a Day in the Water? We Can Help Today.
Swimmer’s ear is one of the most common — and most treatable — summer complaints we see. If you or your child have ear pain, itching, fullness, or drainage after time in the water, walk into any AG Urgent Care location in Brooklyn or Queens. We’ll look in the ear, confirm what’s going on, and start treatment the same day — no appointment needed, most insurance accepted.
Walk into our Bushwick, Flatbush Junction, Brownsville, Jamaica, or Canarsie location, or check in online to save time in the waiting room.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified clinician with any questions about a medical condition. In a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.