People have this strange idea that if water gets in your ear it will somehow find its way to the inside of your skull. The truth is that if your eardrum is intact, the water will remain in your outer ear canal. But, besides being uncomfortable, this water creates an environment where infections can develop.

Swimmer’s ear or otitis externa is an infection of the lining of the external ear canal that begins when water gets stuck in the outer ear. This is different from a regular or middle ear infection, which is an infection behind the eardrum. There also is a condition called surfer’s ear is caused by repeated exposure to cold water and wind. This cooling of the ear canal causes bone growth that eventually blocks the ear canal.

If your ear is kept dry, it is unlikely to become infected. You can opt for earplugs or rely on the old jump-up-and-down-on-one-leg-and-bang-the-side-of-your-head-with-your-hand-with-your-bad-ear-toward-the-floor trick. Cotton swabs should be avoided because they can push material deep into the canal or scratch the skin, making infection more likely.

Other options include era-drying drops to evaporate excess water or a hair dryer to dry them out. There even are products like the Sahara Dry Ear rechargeable ear dryer that is specially designed for this purpose.