"While playing in the water, water in the ear.." Holiday season 'Otitis Externa' warning

[Financial News] Recently, Mr. Jeong (39) went to a nearby swimming pool with his 8-year-old son. Although it was early to visit the pool, the heat that arrived earlier than usual prompted them to plan a water play sooner than usual.
On the day they visited the pool, the midday temperature soared to 32 degrees, and the pool was crowded with children. However, Mr. Jeong's son felt ear pain and a stuffy sensation from the night after visiting the pool. Recognizing it as a problem of foreign matter entering the ear, Mr. Jeong cleaned his son's earwax, but the next day, yellow discharge came from the child's ear. Mr. Jeong hurriedly took his son to the hospital and was diagnosed with 'otitis externa'.


The joy of vacation is short-lived as the use of swimming pools and hot and humid environments lead to an increase in patients complaining of otitis externa symptoms. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service's medical big data, from 2022 to 2024, an average of about 250,000 otitis externa patients visited hospitals each month during July and August.
Otitis externa is an inflammatory ear disease caused by bacterial or fungal infections or physical irritation, and children, people with past skin diseases, or those with sensitive skin are particularly vulnerable to otitis externa.
In the early stages, it often starts with itching or a foreign body sensation inside the ear, and as symptoms progress, ear pain gradually worsens, accompanied by a feeling of fullness or temporary hearing loss. If pain is felt when touching the auricle or around the ear, otitis externa should be suspected.
If the inflammation worsens, pus or yellow discharge may flow out, and in some cases, severe pain accompanied by a fever leads to hospital visits.
Professor Song Jae-jun of the Department of Otolaryngology at Korea University Guro Hospital said, "If otitis externa is diagnosed early, it can be treated relatively simply using medication or ear drops," adding, "However, if the treatment timing is missed, the inflammation can spread and worsen into more severe diseases such as otitis media, so caution is needed."
Professor Song explained, "Especially in the case of elderly people with underlying diseases such as diabetes, ear canal infections can lead to otitis media or skull base osteomyelitis, so the condition should always be carefully monitored."
He continued, "To prevent otitis externa, efforts should be made to maintain cleanliness, such as removing moisture from the ear canal after swimming. However, actions that stimulate the inside of the ear using cotton swabs or ear picks can worsen otitis externa symptoms, so it is best to avoid them," advising, "It is advisable to naturally remove water by jumping in place and use a hairdryer to dry the inside of the ear."

vrdw88@fnnews.com Kang Joong-mo Reporter