When we think about protecting our skin and eyes from sun damage during Summer, it’s easy to forget that our ears can also come under attack. Here are some of the dangers and how to treat them.
The wax factor
Did you know the main purpose of ear wax is to keep our ears clean? Dust and dirt gets trapped in the ear canal instead of moving into the inner ear.
However, problems can arise when ear wax builds up over time and starts to affect hearing. If water gets trapped behind a blockage of ear wax, it can lead to temporary hearing loss, ringing in the ears or the potential for infection.
How to treat it: Wax removal drops will soften the wax so it can be easily washed out. For more stubborn wax plugs, we sell reusable syringes to flush them out with warm water.
Keep your ears covered
Few parts of our body are exposed to the sun more than the tops of our ears, yet it’s all too easy to miss them as we smear sunscreen on our face. Around 7% of head and neck melanomas occur on our ears so it’s vital to protect them.1
Instead of a baseball cap, wear a wide-brimmed hat so they’re under cover and apply sun protection before long drives as UV rays can penetrate car windows.
How to treat it: Apply a SPF50+ facial sunscreen to the whole ear, including in all those creases and crevices. Get kids in the habit of putting some on their face and ears before they go outside all year round. If burning does occur, use an anaesthetic and antiseptic burn spray to avoid the need to rub tender skin.
Allergy agony
Pollen, dust and flowering grasses don’t just block our noses in Summer, they can play havoc with our ears too.
More than four and a half million Australians are affected by hayfever alone, suffering runny noses, sneezing, itchy eyes and clogging of the Eustachian tube that connects our middle ear to the back of our throat.2
When temperatures soar, so do airborne allergens like dust mites, mould spores and minute grains released by trees and other plants.3
“Most people don’t have an immune response to pollen, but a certain percentage of people’s immune systems see it as foreign and dangerous and they treat it like a pathogen or infection.”4
Christina Price, Yale Medicine allergist
To combat the threat, we release chemicals like histamines that cause mucus production and can lead to bunged up noses and ears.
How to treat it: Blooms The Chemist stocks antihistamine tablets to ease the symptoms. For children, flavoured syrups and chewable tablets are available. Sinus pain relief tablets may help with ear pain or headaches, as well as relieve any congestion.
Swimmer's ear
After a cooling dip, it’s common for a little water to find its way into our outer ear canal, but when it gets trapped, the warm, moist environment can lead to bacterial growth and infections.
It may be tempting to relieve swimmer’s ear with a cotton bud, but that can cause damage and push the wax and water further into the ear.
If left untreated, the area can become inflamed and painful as the infection spreads.
How to treat it: Medicated ear drops prescribed by your Doctor will dry up any moisture and prevent bacteria from forming.
Another option you might want to try is to insert malleable ear putty in the outer ear canal before swimming to stop water from getting in.
References:
1National LIbrary of Medicine, Head and Neck Melanoma, accessed 14 January 2025
2Australian Parliament, Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport, accessed 14 January 2025
3 Healthdirect, Pollen allergy, accessed 14 January 2025
4Yale Medicine, Seasonal Allergies (Allergic Rhinitis), accessed 14 January 2025