Ear Infection Prevention While Diving?

[TMHeimer]

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

You can use these earplugs (but not regular earplugs). One of the divers at the 2015 scubaboard invasion had them, and reported really good results. I've never used them myself.

I use them when without a hood (which is rare). The hood does the same thing in keeping water from going "deep" in the ears. After every dive I Q tip my ears and then put in ear drops. My ears are somewhet sensitive to "swimmer's ear", and I have had no problems. As far as foreign organisms in exotic locales, can't comment. Nothing like that here--too cold (though I had no problems my one time in the Caribbean).

 

[doctormike]

You actually don't want to use so much water. White vinegar is mostly water, so you just need enough to drop the pH enough to kill the pseudomonas bacteria. Take a bottle of rubbing alcohol, pour out a bit and put a couple of tablespoons of vinegar in it.

OR, use one of these, which works even better and less chance of irritation from overdrying with the alcohol: Macks EarDryer

 

[Scubagolf]

I lost 5 days on a Coz trip to "swimmer's ear" 7 years ago. Since then I mix up Ear Beer and use it immediately after EVERY dive for 3-4 minutes in each ear.
1/3 - isopropyl alcohol
1/3 - white vinegar
1/3 - distilled water
No problem since.

 

[boleslav]

Thanks guys!
it looks like the general consensus is vinegar/alcohol mixture.
How many drops per ear and how long do you leave it there?
Do you do it after each dive or once in the evening?

 

[gopbroek]

Also this one has the home brew recipe: More On Swimmers Ear — DAN | Divers Alert Network — Medical Dive Article

A very good article, the key is instruction to allow it to soak each ear canal for 5 full minutes.

 

[dmoore19]

Self-management - Swimmer's ear - Mayo Clinic

 

[TMHeimer]

Self-management - Swimmer's ear - Mayo Clinic

It mentions no Q tips (and many agree, of course). I've been using them my whole life (after my daily shower much less weekly dive) with no problems (of course I don't dig my way to China...). So I'm not advising their use, just saying what has worked for me. I only started a couple of years back with the ear drops after diving--they dry things up very quickly.

 

[uncfnp]

It mentions no Q tips (and many agree, of course). I've been using them my whole life (after my daily shower much less weekly dive) with no problems (of course I don't dig my way to China...). So I'm not advising their use, just saying what has worked for me. I only started a couple of years back with the ear drops after diving--they dry things up very quickly.

Q-tips don't cause a problem...until they do. Mostly they just pack the wax deeper causing an impaction. Rarely in my experience do they cause damage to the canal or eardrum. The other problem is that they can remove the protective wax coating, setting you up for that swimmer's ear. Remember, a little wax is normal and actually beneficial. And yes, I have had to remove more then one lost Q-tip swab from an ear canal. Try to explain that medical visit while on vacation!

Q-tips are fine to dry around the exterior of the ear but really shouldn't be use in the ear canal.

 

[TMHeimer]

uncfnp, Not arguing, just saying I'm 62 and they haven't caused a problem yet. My succeptability to swimmer's ear-- I think-- was when I was quite young and not using Q tips after swimming. Never lost a swab in my ear... figure since maybe age 20 that's about 13,000 uses. Again, I don't disagree with your points. People's physiology varies a lot.

Actually, I've been advised before that Q tips should only be used on the ear's exterior, as you point out. Have always been curious--what would one be cleaning off the outer ear?--wax, dirt? I just use soap in the shower for that and dry with a towel.

 

[uncfnp]

uncfnp, Not arguing, just saying I'm 62 and they haven't caused a problem yet. My succeptability to swimmer's ear-- I think-- was when I was quite young and not using Q tips after swimming. Never lost a swab in my ear... figure since maybe age 20 that's about 13,000 uses. Again, I don't disagree with your points. People's physiology varies a lot.

Actually, I've been advised before that Q tips should only be used on the ear's exterior, as you point out. Have always been curious--what would one be cleaning off the outer ear?--wax, dirt? I just use soap in the shower for that and dry with a towel.

All we can do is advise best practice Then each of us has to decide what is best for themselves . You really don't need to use Q-tips at all, wash cloth does just fine on the outer ear and the ear canal mostly takes care of itself. But if people want to use Q-tips then we say just not in the ear.

And I am 57 years old and have never ever even once use a Q-tip in my ears.

Its not just that it can potentially do harm, its just not needed. So why risk even the small chance of a problem.