Your child spent all day splashing in the hotel pool and the sea. That night, they wake up crying and holding one ear. It hurts, and you are far from your family doctor. This is one of the most common holiday complaints we hear from parents in Patong. Most of the time, it is a treatable outer ear infection.
Ear pain after swimming has a name: swimmer’s ear. It comes from water trapped in the ear canal, which lets germs grow. It is sore but usually easy to fix. This guide shows you what to do first, what to avoid, and when your child needs a doctor here in Patong Phuket.
Why the Pool and Sea Cause Ear Pain
Ear pain after swimming usually comes from water trapped in the ear canal. This is the outer part of the ear, the tube that leads to the eardrum. When water sits there, the skin gets soft and warm, and germs grow easily. This causes an outer ear infection, often called swimmer’s ear. It brings pain, itch, and sometimes a blocked feeling or discharge. Kids get it a lot on holiday because they swim for hours in hotel pools and the sea.
The pain of swimmer’s ear is different from a middle ear infection, which sits deeper and often comes with a cold. A quick sign of swimmer’s ear is that it hurts more when you gently tug the outer ear or press the flap in front of it. Both types need a doctor to look inside with a light to be sure. The right treatment depends on which one your child has.
What Parents Should Do First
If your child has ear pain after swimming, start by keeping the ear dry. Stop swimming for now, and gently tilt their head to let any trapped water drain out. Do not push cotton buds, fingers, or anything else into the ear, as this can hurt the skin and make things worse. For comfort, a warm cloth held to the ear can soothe the pain. Child pain relief can help too, but ask a pharmacist about the right kind for your child.
Do not reach for old ear drops from home or a friend. The wrong drops can be useless or even harmful, especially if the eardrum is not healthy. Ear pain that comes with a fever, discharge, or swelling behind the ear needs a doctor soon. So does pain that gets worse or stops your child sleeping. A quick check tells you exactly what is wrong and what will fix it.
When Ear Pain Needs a Doctor
Some ear problems clear on their own, but many need proper treatment to heal well. See a doctor if the pain is bad, lasts more than a day, or comes with a fever or discharge. Swelling, redness behind the ear, or a child who is very unwell also need a check without delay. At our clinic, a doctor looks inside the ear with a light to see the cause. This simple check tells us if it is swimmer’s ear, a middle ear infection, or something else.
Once we know the cause, treatment is straightforward. Swimmer’s ear often needs medicated ear drops, while a middle ear infection may need other medicine. We have an on-site pharmacy, so you leave with what your child needs. Our English-speaking doctors explain how to use the drops and when your child can swim again. If your child is too sore to travel, ask about a hotel visit, day or night.
Child Ear Pain After Swimming: What To Do
- Keep the sore ear dry and stop swimming for now.
- Do not push cotton buds or fingers into the ear.
- Tilt the head to let trapped water drain out gently.
- Offer child pain relief for comfort, guided by a pharmacist.
- Watch for fever, discharge, or pain that gets worse.
- See a doctor for the right ear drops, not leftover ones.
- Avoid swimming again until a doctor says the ear has healed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is swimmer’s ear?
Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer ear canal, the tube leading to the eardrum. It happens when water sits in the ear after swimming, letting germs grow. It causes pain, itch, and sometimes discharge. A telltale sign is that it hurts more when you tug the outer ear. It is common in kids on holiday and is easy to treat.
Can I use ear drops from home?
It is best not to. The wrong ear drops can be useless or even harmful, especially if the eardrum is damaged. Different ear problems need different drops. A doctor should look inside the ear first to see what is wrong, then give the right drops. Using leftover or borrowed drops can delay healing or make things worse.
How do I stop my child getting ear pain again?
After swimming, help the ear dry out. Tilt your child’s head to each side to drain water, and dry the outer ear with a towel. Do not use cotton buds inside the ear. Some children who get repeat swimmer’s ear are helped by drying drops, but ask a doctor first. Taking swim breaks also gives the ears time to recover.
My child has ear pain and a fever. Is that serious?
Ear pain with a fever means you should see a doctor. It can signal an infection that needs treatment, and a fever shows the body is fighting it. Watch also for swelling or redness behind the ear, or a very unwell child, which need a check without delay. Come to our walk-in clinic and a doctor will look inside the ear.
Do you have the ear drops at the clinic?
Yes. We have an on-site pharmacy, so after a doctor checks your child’s ear, you can get the right drops or medicine right there. You do not need to hunt around Patong for a pharmacy with a sick child. The doctor shows you how to use the drops and tells you when your child can safely swim again.
Walk in on Prachanukroh Road near Bangla, or message us and we reply in minutes. Doctor hotel visits available across Patong and Phuket.
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