Take care of your ears and eyes when swimming

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Vo Ha Bang Suong - General Internal Medicine - Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital
When the hot season is coming, people often spend time swimming to exercise and cool off. How to take care of the ears and eyes properly and protect the health of these two organs to avoid leading to diseases in the ears and eyes are of great interest to many people.

After swimming, some people, especially young children, are prone to experiencing symptoms of red eyes, itchy eyes, a lot of tears, as well as abnormalities in the ears such as ear pain, tinnitus, pus discharge. Just like protecting the skin when going out in the sun, the eyes are quite sensitive parts that need proper attention and care to keep your eyesight healthy every day.
Chlorine helps keep pool water clean, but it can also make swimmers more susceptible to eye infections because it irritates the lining of the eyes. In addition, if there are too many people swimming or the pool is not cleaned properly, it can cause ear infections while swimming.

1. How to take care of your ears when swimming?

The cause of ear infections when swimming is mainly caused by bacteria, some cases can be caused by fungi or viruses. In addition, swimmers themselves also have a number of factors that increase the risk of infection such as:
Wet ears, excessive sweating, prolonged wet weather or standing water in the ears after swimming can create a favorable environment. conducive to bacterial growth. Scratches in the ear canal from cleaning the ear with cotton swabs or an ear pick, scratching the ear with your fingers, or prolonged wearing of headphones or hearing aids can cause tiny cracks in the skin that allow bacteria to enter. enter and develop. Sometimes hair products, cosmetics, and jewelry can irritate the skin and increase the chance of an ear infection while swimming. Therefore, experts recommend the following to help swimmers avoid ear infections as follows:
Keep ears dry: Dry ears immediately after swimming or bathing. Dry only your outer ear, slowly and gently with a soft cloth or cloth. Tilt your head to the side to help water drain out of the ear canal. You can dry your ears with the dryer set to the lowest setting and hold it at least 30cm away from your ear. Preventive treatment at home. If you are certain that your eardrum is not perforated, you can use homemade preventive earplugs before and after swimming. Made by mixing a mixture of 1 part white vinegar with 1 part isopropyl alcohol can help promote ear dryness and prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi that cause ear infections. Watch for warning signs of a pool's quality such as a high bacterial count or overcrowding, so don't swim on those days. Avoid placing foreign objects in the ear. Never scratch an itch or pick up earwax with items such as cotton swabs, paper clips, or hairpins. Using these items can push bacteria deeper into the ear canal and irritate or damage the thin skin inside the ear. If you've recently had an ear infection or ear surgery, talk to your doctor before swimming.

2. Eye care while swimming

Swimming in chlorinated water washes away the outer membrane of the eye, which protects the eye against infection. In addition, if chlorine is used, it is not guaranteed to completely remove all dirt and bacteria contained in the water. As a result, swimmers may experience pinkeye or eye infections. Chlorine can irritate the cornea and cause dry eyes, affecting vision.
Experts have given some tips to help swimmers prevent or reduce these unpleasant symptoms:
To prevent eye problems while swimming, wear safety goggles that cover your eyes. . Remove contact lenses when swimming because the gap between the eye and the contact lens is an ideal place for bacteria and viruses to breed. For dry or irritated eyes, use lubricating eye drops. Flush irritated or burning eyes with an eyewash solution or tap water for 15 minutes after swimming. While these steps can help reduce redness and mild irritation, swimmers need to recognize the signs of a more serious illness in order to take action. If the following symptoms are present, swimmers should seek medical attention immediately:
Red eyes and discharge. Blurry or distorted vision. Severe eye pain. Taking care of your eyes and ears while swimming is important to ensure your hearing and vision. Therefore, pay attention to the above eye and ear care ways to have the safest swimming times.

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