This is called Otitis Externa. Otitis externa (OE) is a type of ear infection involving the ear canal. It could be caused due to swimming or shower a lot, too much water can get into your ears. Cleaning your ears can remove the protective wax layer and lead to infection. The two factors that are essential for external otitis to develop are (1) the presence of germs that can infect the skin and (2) impairments in the integrity of the skin of the ear canal that allow infection to occur. The major symptoms are: itching in the ear canal in the early stages; ear pain that may worsen when pulling the earlobe; discharge of pus or fluid from the ear canal; redness and swelling of the skin of the ear canal; a small, painful lump or boil in the ear canal; eczema (patches of broken, flaky, itchy, red, oozing skin); temporary hearing loss due to pus accumulation in the ear canal; and fever. Methods of treatment: Pain relievers - acetaminophen or ibuprofen, remove excess fluid and pus from the ear canal, topical antibiotics or antifungal eardrops, oral antibiotics may be given for severe infection, surgical removal of dead tissue may be required to treat malignant otitis externa, codeine or narcotics may be prescribed to relieve severe pain. Measures of prevention: antiseptic eardrops whenever the water is trapped in the ears. Use rubbing alcohol. It absorbs the water; helps dry out the ear, and may even kill the bacteria and funguses that cause otitis externa.