How to treat swimmer's ear

[Vuk Milicevic]

Hey all

I just completed my first weekend where I got to dive with my brother (also certified) where we went out on our own in a small quarry and checked the sights out. We dove 4 times a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Twenty four hours, or so, following our last dive, I am experiencing tenderness in my left ear canal. It is very sensitive to the touch. When I open my mouth to talk it feels like someone punched me in my jaw on my left side.

Is this normal? I felt no pain in my ears whatsoever while diving and equalized early and often on each dive with no problem. From what I've been reading online, this seems to be what they call "swimmer's ear" and will clear up in a few days by itself. With that said, can anyone explain the cause, suggest where I may have gone wrong or what I can do prevent it next time?

Cheers!

 

[Doby45]

Go see your ENT Dr and go from there. If you already have an ear infection they would be the ones to help. Now to prevent an infection some people use ear drops after diving in skanky fresh water. I personally use "ear Beer" which is a 50/50 mix of distilled white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.

 

[fmerkel]

You can see a Dr. but if it's swimmer's ear it'll likely clear up on it's own. If no improvement soon you should probably go to probably get some antibiotic ear drops. It's critical you keep the ear dry. If you still suspect you have water in your ear it needs to come out. That presents it's own problem at this point since you have a tender ear.

You can use the ear beer even now (MUCH more effective as a preventative), but it WILL hurt like HELL! You are essentially putting it on an open wound. The alcohol helps get water out by breaking surface tension, the vinegar acts as a disinfectant. Then VERY VERY carefully dry the ears with a Q-tip. gentle....gentle. Finally carefully apply some antibiotic ointment cream with a fresh clean Q-tip after things have a chance to dry out for awhile and settle down. You do not want to further abrade or inflame the ear canal.

Google a bit on [Otitis Externa] +scuba if you want. Lots of info.

 

[doctormike]

Then VERY VERY carefully dry the ears with a Q-tip. gentle....gentle..

Do not do this, not even with a few more "verys".

I treat q-tips like other doctors treat cigarettes. I keep trying to get people to quit, but it's an uphill battle. In addition to potentially causing permanent injury to the ear (I have seen complications even more serious than a perforation), it tends to pack debris into the ear canal, and actually may make things worse.

Treating swimmer's ear (as opposed to preventing it):

1) Keep the ear dry for a few days. That means no swimming or diving. One of these can help, and is a good way of preventing swimmer's ear in the future.

2) If possible, see someone (like an ENT doc) who can clean debris out of your ear, preferably with a microscope and suction. Swimmer's ear is made worse if you have a lot of earwax and other debris in the ear canal, because it traps the water. Treating swimmer's ear without cleaning this stuff out is like trying to treat diaper rash without changing the diaper.

3) Antibioitic and steroid drops can help. If the eardrum is intact, I use cortisporin otic solution.

4) Sometimes when the canal is swollen shut, I have to place a wick, which is a small piece of material that brings the drops into the deeper ear canal.

 

[TMHeimer]

I use ear drops after every dive. Sometimes either the salt water or the drops themselves (?) cause itching inside my ear lobes at the bottom. I scratch them by massaging the outside and with Q tips inside (this is not in the main entrance to the middle/inner ear, so no danger). I have used Q tips also to dry my ears after every dive and every shower (I shower every night and am 63--no problems ever, but I guess some stick the Q tips in too far, and everyone is different). I don't advise anyone to use Q tips, though. Don't want to get sued.

 

[doctormike]

When I first moved in with my wife, I walked into the bedroom and found her using a Q-tip. I think that if I had walked in on her with another guy, she would have felt less guilty and embarrassed,

 

[dmaziuk]

if it's swimmer's ear it'll likely clear up on it's own.

When I get swimmers ear, it's a tiny little tenderness under my jaw. Granted, I've been swimming long enough I can feel it coming very early, when not every ENT can even see it yet. Still, if I felt like getting punched in the jaw whenever I open my moth, I'd've been at the doctor's yesterday.

 

[gbf]

Per DAN and USN: 50/50 ear beer. 5 min per ear immediately post dive. Time it, don't cheat. The goal is to a. Dry hence alcohol. An b. Create an acidic bacteria unfriendly environment hence vinegar.

No glycerin, qtips etc. Don't cheat

Search the DAN website. It's a USN study I think from the sixties.

Just got back from 10 days/5 dived per day. No problems.

Warning: our vinegar is5% acetic acid. Used to be 90% on Bonaire.

 

[uncfnp]

Do not do this, not even with a few more "verys".

I treat q-tips like other doctors treat cigarettes. I keep trying to get people to quit, but it's an uphill battle. In addition to potentially causing permanent injury to the ear (I have seen complications even more serious than a perforation), it tends to pack debris into the ear canal, and actually may make things worse.

Treating swimmer's ear (as opposed to preventing it):

1) Keep the ear dry for a few days. That means no swimming or diving. One of these can help, and is a good way of preventing swimmer's ear in the future.

2) If possible, see someone (like an ENT doc) who can clean debris out of your ear, preferably with a microscope and suction. Swimmer's ear is made worse if you have a lot of earwax and other debris in the ear canal, because it traps the water. Treating swimmer's ear without cleaning this stuff out is like trying to treat diaper rash without changing the diaper.

3) Antibioitic and steroid drops can help. If the eardrum is intact, I use cortisporin otic solution.

4) Sometimes when the canal is swollen shut, I have to place a wick, which is a small piece of material that brings the drops into the deeper ear canal.

Everything that he just said. This is doctormike, our very own in house ENT.

The only thing I might add is that any half way adequate Urgent Care sould be able to fix this for you too (minus the microscope and suction/we are not that sophisticated) Its our summer bread and butter!

 

[tridacna]

Warning: our vinegar is5% acetic acid. Used to be 90% on Bonaire.

Really 90%? I’m no chemist but that sounds kinda toxic.