A few simple steps of ear care can keep you from having to worry about aching ears or swimmers ear.

Swimmers Ear:

Swimmers ear is an infection of the outer ear canal and a very common ear problem. You do not have to be a swimmer to get it - it can be triggered by showering, too. It arises when water gets trapped in the ears allowing bacteria or fungi to flourish.
To begin with the ear may feel blocked or itchy. Left untreated, the infection can cause swelling and some drainage of fluid.

Learn about the causes of earache.

Remedy for Swimmers Ear:

• Mix equal parts of surgical spirit (alcohol) and apple cider vinegar 
• and use a clean eyedropper to put a few drops in your itchy ear, but only if you know your eardrum is not punctured!
• Tilt your head so the mixture flows into the ear canal, then tug your earlobe to make sure it flows all the way in.
• Keep your head tilted or or lie down for a few minutes.
• The acidity of the vinegar creates a hostile environment for bacteria and fungi, while the alcohol evaporates quickly, helping to dry out the ear canal fast.
• After a while sit up and tip your head towards your shoulder to drain it.

Read about more home remedies for ear infection.
Another soothing and painkilling choice for ear problem as swimmers ear is:

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil

Put a drop of lavender oil on some cotton wool, then make a plug to place in the opening of the ear. The healing fumes of the lavender pass into the ear canal and have antibacterial and antiviral properties. You can leave it in the ear for the whole night, or for several hours. Probably it makes you sleepy. Don't bother it a good sleep is the best medicine!

Read about ear wax and its home removal.

Daily Ear Care Advices

• Wear earplugs for swimming and when washing your head or showering to keep the water out. Choose wax or silicone plugs that can be softened and moulded to fit the ear canal.
• After swimming or showering, blow-dry your ears. Set the dryer on low and direct warm air into your ear for about 30 seconds. Hold the nozzle at least 30cm away.
• When ear cleaning, do not try to get all the wax out of your ears. In normal amounts, earwax coats the ear canal, which is protective for the inner parts of the ear.
• If you have a greater amount and sticky ear wax drop regularly (2 or 3 times a week) warm olive oil with an eye dropper into the ear canal which helps soften the wax. The soft ear wax will come out on its own. Using warm oil is a safe ear care method.

Read about herbal remedies for ear problem.

• Avoid exposure to loud noises - if you are doing a noisy job, wear ear defenders.
• When you have a cold, blow your nose gently. If you blow to forcefully, you can push bacteria back into your middle ear (through Eustachian tube) and trigger an infection.
• Frequent ear infections can be a sign of food allergy. Most often the troublesome foods are diary products, wheat, corn, peanuts, eggs or oranges. Try removing these foods from your diet for several weeks to see if you feel any better. Then add one back, only one at a time. If your ears start aching, ban that particular food from your diet.
• For people who have a lot of ear hair - particularly some older men - it helps to trim the hair with an ear-hair trimmer. This will help to prevent earwax from getting enmeshed in hair around the opening of the ear canal.
• For any kind of ear problem at the beginning stage a realy effective ear care option is Roman Camomile (Anthemis nobilis) essential oil: put a drop of camomile oil on some cotton wool, then make a plug to place in the opening of the ear. The healing fumes of the camomile pass into the ear canal and have antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. You can leave it in the ear for the whole night, or for several hours.
• Another option is to make a warm compress of camomile oil on the side of the face.

Learn about homeopathic remedies for ear pain.

• Doing a massage around your ear is also very soothing and calming:
  

1. Massage around the ear with 1 drop of camomile oil in 5ml/1tsp olive oil for 10 minutes several times a day.
2. Massage the mastoid bone (behind the ear) with a mixture of 2 drops each of lavender and tea tree oil in 5ml/1tsp of olive oil for 10 minutes 3 or 4 times a day.

---