ear infections

[wilson23]

On my last dive trip to honduras I suffered an ear infection half way through the trip that was a serious bummer. I would like avoid this in the future and was wondering what measures ya'll take to assure that this doesnt happen. eardrops of some sort? magical flushing agents? black magic?

 

[Kryssa]

This happened to my husband on a dive trip in Mexico. He now uses swimmer's ear drops. They dry up the water inside your ear. He hasn't has an ear infection since.

 

[lowviz]

Mix rubbing alcohol (isopropanol) and a few drops of vinegar in a small plastic container. Or this: Amazon.com: Ear Drops for Scuba Diving, Swimming, Snorkeling, and all Watersports Swim Swimmers Ear Snorkel Diving Dive Divers Boating Sailing Kayak Canoe: Sports & Outdoors

Use a couple of drops in each ear after each dive. If it really burns when you put it in, see a doctor, you have something going on in there.

You REALLY don't want a middle or inner ear infection, this is just a simple preventative for the easy stuff. If you had some sort of barotrauma, see a professional...


(Kryssa beat me to it...)

 

[Ramsy]

I was recently on a 10 day liveaboard. A few of the divers had problems with their ears. I did not. What I did was use swimmer's ear drops after every dive, regardless of whether or not I felt water in my ear. Even if there is no water in the ear, the swimmer's ear drops help dry the ear canal out.

 

[lowtech]

I use orca urine and quid ink...kidding of course.


I'm sure folks that are closer to medicine than I will chime in, but
I've heard/inferred that keeping the outer-ear clean and dry is important
in the prevention of ear infections in the outer-ear. (area outside the ear drum)
There are commercial drops that you can buy, but myself and others have had
good results with equals parts white vinegar and rubbing alcohol
used with a dropper after a day of diving.

 

[SCUBASailor]

As the others have stated, a few drops of a rubbing alcohol, white vinegar mixture. Three doctors, including my ENT, have recommended a 50/50 mix. A few drops in each ear after diving have stopped my middle ear infections altogether. I just hope you like the smell of vinegar.

By the way, I asked my ENT why I am so prone to to the infections. He said that my ear canal is dry and cracked, providing a weakness for the ever-present bacteria to exploit. On his advice, I now put a drop of mineral oil in each ear every day to try to prevent the dry, cracked skin.

 

[cbrich]

Samething happened to me in Bonaire. I went to the local clinic, and got some drops, but diving was over. I had alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, the alcohol burned like hell, the worst pain I have ever experienced. I used up all of the drops and my ear was still tender as hell, so I visted my regular ENT doctor. He said, I do have a pretty massive outer ear infection. He prescribe a different kind of drops, but wanted to see me in 10 days. I used the drops, but I also did my own research, found a website that said to use 1 part of alcohol to 1 part of Vinegar. Instead I used 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 1 part of vinegar (link below). I swear after 2 days of using the hydrogren peroxide/vinegar solultion, my ear was not tender at all, and I could use alcohol, but I kept using both for 10 days. When I went back to my ENT doctor, he said the infection is gone, and he could not tell I even had an infection. I talked to my doctor more about swimmer's ear, and he said it can be caused by bacteria or fungi. He told me using vinegar, alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide helps with preventing swimmer's ear.

I am going to Sipadan in the fall, I am planning to take a vinegar/alcohol solution, and vinegar/hydrogen peroxide solution, alcohol/hydrogen peroxide solution, straight alcohol, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. I am planning to use the alcohol/hydrogen peroxide solution after every dive, and use the vinegar/alcohol solution 2x times a day. I am bringing the straight stuff, just incase if I come down with swimmer's ear again.

But if any doctors know of a better home solution, please let us know. I would like to have a solution ready for use after getting swimmer's ear, something that can eliminate the infection overnight, if caught early.


Swimmer's ear: Prevention - MayoClinic.com

What about the Doc Proplugs? Do they help with preventing swimmer's ear?

Doc's Proplugs: The Doctor's Choice for Ear Protection

 

[Downing]

I got swimmers ear while diving cenotes down below Playa del Carmen on my very first diving vacation.

A doctor came to my hotel room, took one look and prescribed some ear drops. Knocked me out of commission for a couple of diving days.

So now I always take commercial ear drops with me on every vacation and use them after every dive. I could make my own, but I'm too lazy.

Btw, the cost of that Doctor's "house call"? Sixty dollars USD. Amazing.

 

[joel smith]

I was recently on a 10 day liveaboard. A few of the divers had problems with their ears. I did not. What I did was use swimmer's ear drops after every dive, regardless of whether or not I felt water in my ear. Even if there is no water in the ear, the swimmer's ear drops help dry the ear canal out.

This is exactly what I do after every dive , I make sure this is part of my dive gear everytime I go. I keep a bottle of swimmers ear in my goggle container.

 

[Mossman]

By the way, I asked my ENT why I am so prone to to the infections. He said that my ear canal is dry and cracked, providing a weakness for the ever-present bacteria to exploit. On his advice, I now put a drop of mineral oil in each ear every day to try to prevent the dry, cracked skin.

I've read that dry, cracked ear skin can be caused/exacerbated by the alcohol in standard ear drop mixes. The "cure" can make things worse. Good idea with the mineral oil, I've read that elsewhere as well.

(Me, I've always been lucky just using the alcohol-based stuff, commercially bought since I'm too lazy to make my own - maybe some people naturally have drier ears than others?)