Ear Infections

[rossjc]

Are ear infections common in diving? I have never had one until I recently went on a weekend of diving. How would the infection manifest, via water entering the estuchian tube through the mouth or through the ear canal or is it some weird compressed air interaction?

 

[fmerkel]

Depends on where the infection IS. Water does not enter the eustachian canal via the mouth. Poor equalization techinques lead to body fluids entering the middle ear (like a blister). Initially sterile this material can grow bacterial well and is at risk of infection if it is not absorbed quickly.

More commonly is outer ear infections from water entry. The water is never sterile and the wetness can start an infection. Using drying and disinfection aides soon after a dive helps significantly with this. A common one is "ear beer" a 50:50 mixture of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar applied with a dropper or small bottle. The alcohol helps dry the ear and the vinegar acid is a good disinfectant.

Fritz

 

[DandyDon]

What Fritz said, or - you injured them from rough equalizing, or - the ears were not up to the dive before you went.

Sent an Ear Physicain, dude.