My first ear issue

[av8er23]

After making 10 dives last week in 4 days I got my first ear infection. I returned home and within 36 hours of my last dive my left ear started to ache. I got a prescription for some eardrops that are prescribed for ear infections and also got some pills prescribed (Amoxicillin). The pain had eased up some by today but my hearing is still muffled. How long does this hearing effect usually last. I have never had an ear infection.

I asked the RPh. if I should use swimmers ear in the future to avoid infections and she said that would help. The only active ingredient in swimmers ear is 95% isoprophen alcohol so I simply bought a bottle of alcohol. The RPh. said this would work find and it was cheaper than swimmers ear.

Pleas share if you have anything to share on this subject.

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

Not sure how long it will take to clear up but for prevention: After I dive fresh water, I put a couple drops of alcohol in each ear

 

[CIBDiving]

It'll usualy clear up in ten days or so, it depends on how bad it got. If your ear was leaking floresent green crud, it might take a little longer.
I like to add a little vinagar ( about 30% ) to the alcohol - the alcohol breaks the surface tension of the water and dries the ear, the vinagar makes it a little acidic to prevent bacteria growth.

 

[Rick Inman]

Not sure how long it will take to clear up but for prevention: After I dive fresh water, I put a couple drops of alcohol in each ear

Why not salt water?

 

[av8er23]

Not sure how long it will take to clear up but for prevention: After I dive fresh water, I put a couple drops of alcohol in each ear

When you do this do you simply put several drops in each ear let it sit a min or two then let it drain out. Or do you want the alcohol to get way down into the canal and slowly soak in over an hour or two?

 

[PFF]

The ear discomfort/infection I had lasted at least two weeks after being put on a perscription ear drops. The protocol was to lie flat and put the drops in the ear without moving my head for 5 minutes.

I will probably commence the preventative measures of the vinagar/alcohol drops to mitigate any future issues.

 

[_Bella_]

I don't use alcohol in my ears. Several ENT's I've consulted in the past couple of years have discouraged it. Cotton swabs are another no-no. Cotton swabs scrape the layer of protective ear wax and alcohol strips it making the skin more susceptible to potential infection. I break any tension of stuck water with an ear syringe. Once I weaned myself of the habit to use cotton swabs and alcohol I got far fewer outer ear infections.

 

[miguel sanz]

ear syringe? what do you meen?
I use alcohol with boric acid to saturation, a friend (ENT) recommended it, of course it´s not good to abuse but a drop in each ear (I lay to the side for a minut) after lots of swimming/diving protects you from infections. I don´t use it after every dive, only when I dive a lot.
Alcohl dries out the ear, and the boric acid replaces the pH of the outer canal.

 

[timle]

I got an ear infections after 2 different diving trips after never having ear infections my entire life. The doc cleared both of them up with an antibiotic. Now I use alchol after ever dive day and no more ear troubles at all - knock on wood.

 

[_Bella_]

ear syringe?