Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.

This week on Health Watch, we've been talking about Memorial Day weekend and the summer season kick off. Previously, we discussed hazards related to swimming while wearing contact lenses. Your ears may also suffer from time spent in the lake or the swimming pool.

Swimmer's ear is an inflammation of the outer ear canal caused by excess moisture left over from swimming. The infection can be itchy and painful. Dr. Peter Roland, professor and chairman of otolaryngology at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, says you shouldn't stick anything into your ear to get moisture out. Instead, try using a hair dryer on low heat or special ear drops to dry up excess moisture in the ears after swimming.

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^{May 2006}

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