I am a new diver and love it but I don't love the ear infections that come with it

[Laurie]

Hello

I just got back from Freeport in the Bahamas. I did my first real dives. The shark dive was my favorite. It was very relaxing. I laid on the floor of the ocean and was finally able to take my time and look around while sharks and big groupers circled around me. I got another ear infection from diving. I am going to take a group of high school kids to Andros Island in the Bahamas in June to the Forfar Field Station. I don't want to get another ear infection while diving out there because there are no medical facilities. Does anybody more experienced and smarter than me have a good remedy for lousy ear infections? Thanks in advance for any wisdom.

[Mario S Caner]

Hello Laurie, welcome to the family here at ScubaBoard. I beleive that you may be the perfect candidate for Doc's Pro Plugs Look into them, I know several people whom swear by them. I'm considering using these as well, as I don't use a hood and that makes it that much easier to get an infection.

[Rick Murchison]

There are several commercial preparations that have excellent track records at ear infection prevention. Otic Domeboro has an excellent rep as a preventative. Lots of us, including me, use a "home brew" - mine, that I've been using for over thirty years of active diving, is half rubbing alcohol, a fourth vinegar, and a fourth hydrogen peroxide. Others have different concoctions that work too. One thing I wouldn't recommend is straight alcohol, which may combat most ear infecting agents, but can dry the ear out too much.
Rick

[Natasha]

I'm with Rick on this one! Ever since I saw someone putting ear drops in their ears before a dive, I have been doing it.
It was like an answer to all my praying. I used to have trouble equalizing, never anymore. Used to have trouble with ear popping noises after a dive, never anymore. I never had an ear infection though, so maybe the doctors will jump in on this and explain more.
Plain old over the counter ear drops. I buy mine at the dive shop.
Love em. Wouldn't dive without them ever! I even pack them in my carry on to be sure if all else doesn't arrive, they do and I dive!
Good luck!
:sunny:

[Rick Murchison]

Hmmm... I've always used 'em right *after* each dive...
Wonder if it really makes any difference. My reasoning is that it's during the dive that nasty things are liable to get in there, so I want to flush 'em and slay 'em afterwards.
Rick

[victory]

yeap use the drops and the ones Rick refer to are the industry standard offshore - i got a really crap one once, on a 30 day saturation dive to 200m the dam thing stayed with me for 2 months - why?? because i didnt use my daily preventative drops


- the home of the commercial divers knife the Green River Victory

offshoreworkersstore.com

[Warmwater Wank]

Drying the ear canal (alcohol) AND changing the pH (vinegar) is the ticket. You can buy lots of remedies but they basically need to do those two things (50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar works for me). Many products that are called "swimmers drops" may only have alcohol and are made simply to get clogged water out of your ears. They won't help long term with infections and may even help cause a problem (due to the drying out) if you don't change the pH of the ear canal.

When you use drops (before or after diving) is less important than tilting your head and letting the drops sit there for 5 minutes on each ear. While not everyone does this, the recommended "5 minutes" in each ear is at least as important as the actual concoction used. Note: I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on Scubaboard. I've also never had ANY ear problems since I heard about doing this on SB! A search will get you to Doc Vikingo's advice (and other's) on this problem if you want more input. // ww

[Thalassamania]

Hello

I just got back from Freeport in the Bahamas. I did my first real dives. The shark dive was my favorite. It was very relaxing. I laid on the floor of the ocean and was finally able to take my time and look around while sharks and big groupers circled around me. I got another ear infection from diving. I am going to take a group of high school kids to Andros Island in the Bahamas in June to the Forfar Field Station. I don't want to get another ear infection while diving out there because there are no medical facilities. Does anybody more experienced and smarter than me have a good remedy for lousy ear infections? Thanks in advance for any wisdom.

Good discussion of the issue: Effect of Diving and Diving Hoods on the Bacterial Flora of the External Ear Canal and Skin

DAN recommends half and half white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.

While Vinegar/alcohol is good, what we used for earwash on the Tektite Project back in 1969 was equal parts of 15% Tannic Acid (15 gm. diluted to 100 ml), 15% Acetic Acid (15 ml diluted to 100 ml) and 50% isopropyl or ethanol (50 ml diluted to 100 ml) in a wash bottle. On Tektite we used ethanol because we had a bunch in the lab for pickling specimens. If you leave a wash bottle full of solution in the sun (e.g., on the dash of your car) it feels so good after the dive.

If you have access to any High School or College chemistry lab you can make it. Or you can likely get a pharmacist to make it up (get you doc to write it out as a prescription) or just get the stuff you need from any Chemical Supply company

1) Tannic acid (crystals), weight out 15 grams, transfer to a 100 ml volumetric flask and fill with water.

2) Acetic acid (liquid) put 50 ml or so of water into a 100 ml volumetric flask, slowly add 15 ml of glacial acetic acid then dilute to 100 ml with water.

3) Dilute an appropriate volume of alcohol with water so that you get 100 ml of a 50% alcohol solution.

Combine equal parts of the three solutions (in this case 100 ml each to make 300 ml of Tektite Solution).

Mineral oil in the ears before the dive, and Tektite Solution after. I've done this since '69 and never had any problems with my external acoustic meatus.

[Hank49]

Ever since I stopped using Q Tip type things to clean my ears, I've never had an ear infection. I was getting a couple a year before I stopped. Your ear has natural defenses and too much cleaning wipes them out. I don't put any drops or vinegar in my ears either.
Of course, I've had a hard time getting any dates since then but with hair growing out of my ears now and skin that looks like an old baseball glove...it's hopeless anyway.

[spectrum]

This is what has worked for us.

Pete