Acute Otitis Externa (AOE) -also known as Swimmer’s Ear”- is a common problem encountered in emergency medicine especially in the summer months. The symptoms are ear discomfort (ranging from pruritus till severe pain), otorrhea (ear discharge) and in case of severe swelling, aural fullness and loss of hearing.
In 2017, 2.4 million U.S. health care visits resulted in a diagnosis of AOE annually which represents 0.8% of the visits.
AOE has a relevant social and economic impact. Despite most cases are mild to moderate, AOE can prevent patients from attending school or work.




