Swimmers ear is a common infection that many of us get especially in the summer, but how much do we really know about it?"

"I just figured it was water in the ear, and I didn't know much about it until he got it," said Melissa Chamberlain, a mother from Sioux City.

Swimmers ear is an infection where water gets trapped inside your ear making it easy for bacteria to get inside.

Some people suffer from excruciating pain while others don't even notice it at first.

"Some may just have a small itching in the ear canal and not realize they have an infection going on," said Physicians Assistant Amanda Lander of Mercy Urgent Care Center. "The pain and itching can progress into swelling of the ear canal, even discharge and drainage from that ear."

The best way you can prevent swimmers ear is to keep your head dry.

If you are going to go for a swim, you can wear ear plugs to help keep your ears dry.

If you don't like wearing ear plugs, there is good news. Your ears do have their own natural way to protect themselves.

Lander said, "Ear wax is somewhat protective in the ear, so people that clean their ears out a lot will sometimes get swimmers ear more often."

If and when you do get it, you should stop swimming and take bathes instead of showers so that your ears don't get wet.

KCAU