'%3e%3cpath%20d='M706.453%20375.999C860.234%20375.999%20984.899%20291.829%20984.899%20188C984.899%2084.1703%20860.234%200%20706.453%200C552.671%200%20428.006%2084.1703%20428.006%20188C428.006%20291.829%20552.671%20375.999%20706.453%20375.999Z'%20fill='%23009B4F'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M278.447%20375.999C432.229%20375.999%20556.893%20291.829%20556.893%20188C556.893%2084.1703%20432.229%200%20278.447%200C124.665%200%200%2084.1703%200%20188C0%20291.829%20124.665%20375.999%20278.447%20375.999Z'%20fill='%23009B4F'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M141.484%20166.68C125.01%20162.158%20114.996%20158.927%20114.996%20150.529C114.996%20143.422%20122.102%20138.9%20133.085%20138.9C144.068%20138.9%20155.051%20143.099%20164.095%20150.529L164.418%20150.852L165.388%20129.855C156.666%20125.01%20147.944%20121.78%20133.731%20121.78C123.394%20121.78%20114.027%20124.364%20107.243%20129.209C99.8137%20134.378%2095.9374%20142.13%2095.9374%20151.175C95.9374%20168.941%20110.796%20176.694%20123.394%20179.924C140.192%20184.446%20151.821%20188.323%20151.821%20198.659C151.821%20207.381%20144.068%20212.872%20131.47%20212.872C118.872%20212.872%20106.274%20207.381%2096.5834%20198.013L96.2604%20197.69L94.3223%20219.979C104.336%20226.762%20116.934%20230.316%20130.501%20230.316C142.13%20230.316%20152.144%20227.408%20159.25%20221.917C167.003%20216.103%20171.202%20207.704%20171.202%20197.367C171.202%20181.862%20161.511%20171.848%20141.484%20166.68Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M264.557%20188C264.557%20215.78%20246.467%20230.316%20225.471%20230.316C215.457%20230.316%20207.381%20226.762%20201.244%20221.271V253.896H182.186V146.976H201.244V156.02C207.704%20149.883%20216.103%20145.684%20226.763%20145.684C247.436%20145.36%20264.557%20160.22%20264.557%20188ZM245.498%20188C245.498%20172.494%20236.131%20162.158%20222.887%20162.158C214.811%20162.158%20207.058%20165.711%20201.567%20173.787V203.182C207.058%20210.288%20214.488%20213.841%20222.887%20213.841C236.131%20213.841%20245.498%20203.505%20245.498%20188Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M352.095%20194.137H294.274C296.535%20207.058%20305.903%20213.841%20318.824%20213.841C329.807%20213.841%20337.882%20211.257%20346.604%20206.089L347.573%20222.886C339.82%20227.085%20330.13%20230.316%20317.532%20230.316C294.274%20230.316%20274.893%20215.78%20274.893%20188.323C274.893%20162.804%20294.274%20145.683%20317.209%20145.683C341.112%20145.683%20353.71%20160.22%20353.71%20181.216C353.71%20185.415%20353.064%20189.615%20352.095%20194.137ZM335.621%20178.632C335.621%20168.618%20329.161%20160.866%20317.532%20160.866C306.549%20160.866%20296.858%20168.295%20294.597%20180.893H335.298C335.621%20180.247%20335.621%20179.601%20335.621%20178.632Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M443.189%20221.917L445.128%20203.505C452.88%20209.965%20463.54%20213.841%20474.846%20213.841C482.921%20213.841%20488.413%20210.611%20488.413%20204.797C488.413%20189.615%20444.482%20197.367%20444.482%20169.91C444.482%20153.436%20458.695%20145.36%20475.492%20145.36C487.444%20145.36%20496.488%20148.268%20503.272%20152.467L502.303%20169.587C494.227%20164.096%20484.213%20161.189%20475.492%20161.189C468.708%20161.189%20463.217%20163.773%20463.217%20168.941C463.217%20181.862%20507.471%20175.402%20507.471%20203.828C507.471%20221.271%20492.289%20229.993%20474.523%20229.993C461.602%20230.316%20450.942%20227.085%20443.189%20221.917Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M590.488%20177.986V228.701H571.429V220.302C564.969%20226.439%20556.57%20229.993%20546.88%20229.993C528.467%20229.993%20517.484%20219.01%20517.484%20203.505C517.484%20187.03%20530.405%20177.017%20549.464%20177.017C556.57%20177.017%20563.677%20178.309%20571.752%20180.57V177.986C571.752%20165.388%20562.385%20159.897%20550.756%20159.897C542.034%20159.897%20532.02%20163.127%20524.914%20168.941L524.268%20152.467C530.405%20148.268%20541.711%20145.037%20554.309%20145.037C574.983%20145.36%20590.488%20155.374%20590.488%20177.986ZM571.429%20206.735V194.46C564.646%20192.199%20558.185%20190.907%20551.402%20190.907C541.711%20190.907%20535.574%20196.075%20535.574%20203.505C535.574%20210.934%20542.034%20215.78%20550.433%20215.78C558.508%20215.78%20564.969%20212.872%20571.429%20206.735Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M592.104%20146.976H612.777L636.358%20198.659L659.616%20146.976H680.289L641.526%20228.701H630.866L592.104%20146.976Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M754.907%20194.137H697.409C699.67%20207.058%20709.038%20213.841%20721.959%20213.841C732.941%20213.841%20741.017%20211.257%20749.739%20206.089L750.708%20222.886C742.955%20227.085%20733.264%20230.316%20720.667%20230.316C697.409%20230.316%20678.027%20215.78%20678.027%20188.323C678.027%20162.804%20697.409%20145.683%20720.343%20145.683C744.247%20145.683%20756.845%20160.22%20756.845%20181.216C756.522%20185.415%20756.199%20189.615%20754.907%20194.137ZM738.756%20178.632C738.756%20168.618%20732.295%20160.866%20720.667%20160.866C709.684%20160.866%20699.993%20168.295%20697.732%20180.893H738.433C738.433%20180.247%20738.756%20179.601%20738.756%20178.632Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M826.618%20148.914L824.034%20166.357C819.511%20163.773%20814.989%20163.127%20810.467%20163.127C802.068%20163.127%20794.315%20167.326%20788.824%20176.371V228.701H769.766V146.976H788.824V157.958C794.315%20150.529%20802.068%20145.36%20812.728%20145.36C817.896%20145.36%20822.418%20146.653%20826.618%20148.914Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M832.109%20221.917L834.048%20203.505C841.8%20209.965%20852.46%20213.841%20863.766%20213.841C871.841%20213.841%20877.333%20210.611%20877.333%20204.797C877.333%20189.615%20833.401%20197.367%20833.401%20169.91C833.401%20153.436%20847.615%20145.36%20864.412%20145.36C876.364%20145.36%20885.408%20148.268%20892.192%20152.467L891.223%20169.587C883.147%20164.096%20873.133%20161.189%20864.412%20161.189C857.628%20161.189%20852.137%20163.773%20852.137%20168.941C852.137%20181.862%20896.391%20175.402%20896.391%20203.828C896.391%20221.271%20881.209%20229.993%20863.443%20229.993C850.522%20230.316%20839.862%20227.085%20832.109%20221.917Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M429.298%20206.412C422.838%20211.257%20416.054%20213.841%20408.302%20213.841C395.058%20213.841%20383.429%20204.474%20383.429%20188C383.429%20171.525%20395.058%20162.158%20408.302%20162.158C416.054%20162.158%20422.838%20164.742%20429.298%20169.264C430.268%20163.45%20431.237%20157.958%20432.852%20152.467C426.068%20148.591%20417.67%20145.683%20406.041%20145.683C382.783%20145.683%20363.725%20161.512%20363.725%20188C363.725%20214.487%20382.783%20230.316%20406.041%20230.316C417.67%20230.316%20426.068%20227.085%20432.852%20222.886C431.237%20217.395%20429.944%20211.903%20429.298%20206.412Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_1478_9029'%3e%3crect%20width='984.9'%20height='375.999'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Symptoms
The skin in the ear canal can become red and swollen due to a bacterial or fungal infection. Symptoms include pain in the ear canal, itchiness, foul smelling yellow or green pus in the ear canal, fever, hearing loss and tinnitus.
Causes
Water can enter the ear canal and not drain out, which can lead the skin to become soft and an ideal environment for bacteria and fungus to grow, particularly after swimming.
Diagnosis
Inspection (otoscopy) of the ear canal is the first stage of diagnosis. A medical professional may also take a swab of the infection to determine if it is bacterial or fungal.
Treatment & Prevention
Drops or ointment may be prescribed to treat the infection and the ear may be suctioned.
To prevent otitis externa, keep the ear dry while swimming and showering by using ear plugs. Avoid swimming in polluted water and do not poke your fingers or other objects into your ear.
More about ear tests
Our team of Audiology Professionals are here to support you.
Find out more
Your guide to hearing services
You’ll find our complete guide to hearing, our audiology services and products here.
Find out more
Products and prices
Discover and compare our range of hearing aids from Advance, Signia and Phonak.
Find out more
Government hearing services program
Find out if you're eligible for financial support.
Find out more