mntlblok
Contributor
Whilst this is not necessarily related to the original posting, I think it might add something to the discussion.
When I woke up Tuesday morning after having traveled to and dived the Blue Heron Bridge the previous Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, my right ear felt totally "full", I could barely hear out of it, it hurt to "tug" on it, and was somewhat painful all the time.
While I was quickly convinced that I was suffering from Swimmer's Ear or Otitis Externa, further scrambling around the interwebs suggested that I was likely suffering from primarily a fungal, rather than bacterial, infection. The key clue was that fungal infections can sit there for weeks or months. I had felt "something" in there for months since my last trip to the bridge - mostly the occasional, vague "itch".
As I read more and more about "Mycotic Otitis Externa", I learnt a few more things that I hadn't known. One was that many of the various fungal ailments (athlete's foot, ringworm, jock itch, etc.), no matter which particular fungus is involved, are susceptible to many different anti-fungal agents.
That got me thinking about how pleased I've been with the latest over-the-counter medicament for Athlete's Foot that we brought home from the supermarket. I've long suffered, off and on, from that ailment, but have found, amazingly, that for the last couple of years, that if I get that itch, that as little as one application from that tube from Kroger's makes it quickly go away.
The active ingredient in that tube is tolnaftate. I put some of it in my ear that morning, and by the next morning, the symptoms had definitely improved. I've continued to apply the stuff from the tube daily - once or sometimes twice per day - and now, Saturday, I barely feel anything there at all.
Another interesting fact that I learnt was that the stuff in Head and Shoulders-type shampoo (I use the Kroger brand of that stuff, too) has some anti-fungal effects. Whilst this is total speculation on my part, I suspect that my regular use of anti-dandruff shampoo had possibly kept my mycotic ear infection mostly subclinical. However, with the ten or more hours under water last weekend, coupled with the fact that I don't bother to carry anti-dandruff shampoo with me when I travel. . . Hmmmm.
Now, had I utilized some of the "drying" techniques recommended in this thread, I may well have prevented this flare up. But, then I wouldn't have learned all this cool new (to me) info.
Kevin
Savannah
When I woke up Tuesday morning after having traveled to and dived the Blue Heron Bridge the previous Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, my right ear felt totally "full", I could barely hear out of it, it hurt to "tug" on it, and was somewhat painful all the time.
While I was quickly convinced that I was suffering from Swimmer's Ear or Otitis Externa, further scrambling around the interwebs suggested that I was likely suffering from primarily a fungal, rather than bacterial, infection. The key clue was that fungal infections can sit there for weeks or months. I had felt "something" in there for months since my last trip to the bridge - mostly the occasional, vague "itch".
As I read more and more about "Mycotic Otitis Externa", I learnt a few more things that I hadn't known. One was that many of the various fungal ailments (athlete's foot, ringworm, jock itch, etc.), no matter which particular fungus is involved, are susceptible to many different anti-fungal agents.
That got me thinking about how pleased I've been with the latest over-the-counter medicament for Athlete's Foot that we brought home from the supermarket. I've long suffered, off and on, from that ailment, but have found, amazingly, that for the last couple of years, that if I get that itch, that as little as one application from that tube from Kroger's makes it quickly go away.
The active ingredient in that tube is tolnaftate. I put some of it in my ear that morning, and by the next morning, the symptoms had definitely improved. I've continued to apply the stuff from the tube daily - once or sometimes twice per day - and now, Saturday, I barely feel anything there at all.
Another interesting fact that I learnt was that the stuff in Head and Shoulders-type shampoo (I use the Kroger brand of that stuff, too) has some anti-fungal effects. Whilst this is total speculation on my part, I suspect that my regular use of anti-dandruff shampoo had possibly kept my mycotic ear infection mostly subclinical. However, with the ten or more hours under water last weekend, coupled with the fact that I don't bother to carry anti-dandruff shampoo with me when I travel. . . Hmmmm.
Now, had I utilized some of the "drying" techniques recommended in this thread, I may well have prevented this flare up. But, then I wouldn't have learned all this cool new (to me) info.
Kevin
Savannah
I don't think I have ever heard of using dandruff shampoo to prevent ear canal infections, but since they include anti-fungal agents - makes some sense. Some suggest using vinegar to treat dandruff, but while I can see problems with that idea - white vinegar really seems to work well as an ear canal rinse in preventing a infection along with the alcohol for drying. 
