mild swimmers ear - to dive or not to dive?

[mslise]

Apologies if this turns up twice, I thought I posted it but I can't seem to find it.

Less than halfway through a dive trip I've woken up with what I think is mild swimmers ear. It's not a bad ache, but I can feel it's just not quite right. Sore to touch outside the ear but just irritating, not really painful. I've started with drops the resort has given me which have antibiotic and also pain relief (Otopain; Indonesian)

I know that the BEST/Most Correct advice is to stay out of the water until it's cleared.

But what I want to know is what if I continue diving, considering I can equalise no problems at all. The resort says it should be OK as long as I use the drops before and after each dive. If it were to get worse, I would stay out. I don't want to cause permanent damage or anything serious, but it's only very mild at this stage and I would hope the drops would help stop it getting worse.

Unfortunately there's not even things to do on land here, so I can't turn the trip into just a land based holiday.

Any thoughts? Anyone else been in this position? There's a lot of info on how to prevent swimmers ear but not a lot on what to do if you have it while you're diving.

Cheers for any help,
Lise

 

[currier]

My sympathy goes out to you ... I can only imagine how disappointed I'd be if I were to come down with something while away on a dive trip ...

When I was in Thailand last summer, my diving buddy found herself in a similar condition. She found out it was an ear infection, and she started on drop antibiotics immediately. She was out of the water for 3 days.

I'd follow the advice the resort has given you and continue to use those drops and dive dive dive. But that's just me ... If you experience any trouble equalizing, or if you experience further pain, abort diving activities altogether.

Good luck!

 

[spectrum]

When I had swimmers ear my doc said to go ahead.

It sounds like you have caught it early before it went nuts with inflammation.

This may be a good read too.

Pete

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Otopain looks like it's an interesting cocktail comprised of: polymyxin B (gram-neg antibiotic), neomycin (gram-neg antibiotic, mostly), fludrocortisone (corticosteroid), and lidocaine (local anesthetic).

The fact that your ear was sore to the touch does seem to be consistent with otitis externa, but proper diagnosis would require a good ear exam. Prior to being given the Otopain, did you get your ears checked out by someone who knows what they're doing? Any run-of-the-mill physician should be able to do a decent visualization of the external ear canal and the eardrum.

In otherwise healthy individuals, complications of otitis externa are quite rare.
The National Health Service in the UK has provided a list of those complications.
If you read that list and understand all of the bad things that can happen to you should you continue to dive with that ear condition (worsening of the ear infection, loss of hearing, etc.), then at least you'll be making a more informed decision. FYI, submerging your ears in water will waterlog the skin tissue and increase the chances that the infection will spread to other ear structures. In the end, however, no one is going to tell you what to do. They're your ears.

You might want to consider seeing a physician if the condition worsens.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Lise,

Bummer.

For future reference, the following on prevention should prove informative--> Doc Vikingo's Preventing Swimmer's Ear

For the present, Otopain contains proven ingredients and should provide gradual relief. It contains two broad spectrum antibiotics (Polymyxin B sulfate and Neomycin sulfate) considered active against a number of the more common pathogens that cause otitis externa: an anti-inflammatory to reduce itching (fludrocortisone acetate); and a topical anesthetic to reduce pain (lidocaine hydrochloride).

The manufacturer's directions are to place 4-5 drops, 2-4 times daily, depending on the severity of the disease. Therapy with the product should be limited to no more than 10 consecutive days (unless otherwise directed by an ear/infectious diseases specialist).

Be aware that a small number individuals are, or with use become, hypersensitive to Polymyxin B and Neomycin and the results of this can appear much like those of the otitis externa itself, e.g., burning, itching, irritation, dryness.

If diving continues, the outer ear canal should be kept as clean and dry, and as consistently coated with the medication, as is possible.

Should the condition worsen, diving should be ceased and a specialist contacted.

Best of luck.

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

 

[mslise]

Thanks everyone for your input I'm so happy to hear I can (more or less) keep on diving!

I haven't been checked over by a doc, the dive resort I'm at is literally just the dive resort, there's no doc here or nearby town to go to. Self diagnosis I know can be dangerous, but in this case considering it seems to be mild I'm happy to wait and see.

I am going to keep diving, one dry day today was enough to make me cry when the others came back with reports of their amazing dives. If it gets worse or I can't equalise I'll stop. The otopain seems to be a good enough start to getting rid of it.

And if it doesnt clear up after the trip, I will indeed go and see a doc.

Also, thank you for the info about how to prevent the problem in future. I actually did use swim ear and also sluiced my ears out with fresh water but I gather the swim ear *might* have even been the problem in this case, if it stripped the wax and left the ear open to the yucky bugs in the water here (lembeh strait isn't the cleanest water to dive in..) I'll be more diligent next time!

 

[sealark]

Here's the solution to (or should I say for) your problem.

When I hit 40 I would get ear infections every time I spent more than a couple hours a day in the water. Then I started using the recipe below after EVERY dive. I haven’t had an ear infection in 24 28 years. I always have a bottle on board and in my truck. I just take the cap off hold my finger over the opening and let a small amount go down into each ear.
All the materials are available at any drug store for less than $10.00. The Alcohol dries the water, The boric acid is what your grandmother used for infections and the white vinegar keeps the wax from drying up because of the alcohol.

Ear wash recipe
1 Pint 70% or less % Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol
Boric acid powder 6 oz. is more than enough
White Vinegar


Pour out about 2" of the alcohol out.

Pour or put about 2 Table spoons Boric acid into Alcohol and shake up. If acid remains in powder on bottom you have enough if not add until a small amount remains on bottom. Only a certain % will go into solution so you can't overdue the Boric Acid. Fill the remaining area in the bottle with white vinegar and shake up. The solution is now ready to use.

I usually buy 3 or 4 bottles of alcohol and mix them up in a big bowl then pour them back mixed up into the alcohol bottles. This way the powder on the bottom remains in the bowl and won’t make your ears white when the solution dries out after pouring it into your ears.

 

[DocVikingo]

Here's the solution to (or should I say for) your problem.

Hi sealark,

Your suggestion may prove useful in PREVENTING future episodes of what appears to be otitis externa (a subject addressed more comprehensively in the link provided in my previous reply), but it is not a recommended TREATMENT once such an infection is well-established. It could even cause pain and possibly harm at this stage.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[sealark]

Doc you are correct, I have in the past used it for a very minor ache and it did hurt. Cortisporin from a doctors prescription is required for anything worse than very minor.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[scubadiveilat]

It's hard to keep away from your passion!!!

If your condition is stable continue as is. Take it slow while diving. If you have no problems equalizing & the condition doesn't change while diving, fulfill your passion. Don't dive deep have fun and enjoy. Don't push it either. As it can get worse.

If the condition worsens abort diving and allow to heal. Don't take medication to solve the problem unless prescribed by a physician there.

Enjoy your passion and vacation. Dive to enjoy!!!!