Olive oil in ears, pre-dive?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Harley1962

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
Messages
234
Reaction score
6
Location
Thailand
# of dives
I'm a Fish!
Is there any proven benefit to putting a few drops of olive oil into the ear canal prior to diving each day--especially over a multiple dive day period (i.e. liveaboard)??

I heard good things about olive oil, specifically but why can't mineral oil be used or other such oil--the idea being to reduce (and protect against) the drying effects of the salt water, I assume?

And if olive oil is preferable--does it have to be "extra virgin", "cold pressed" or what?
IA,
HB
 
Hi HB,

Lanolin or baby oil are in fact preferable both in terms of cost and stability of the substance.

Regards,

DocVikingo
 
Now, that's a new one on me. Is there a significant benefit...?
 
I have read of using olive oil in the ears to help remove ear wax, but not ante-dive.

After a dive I might use a 1:1 preparation of vinegar: isopropyl alcohol in my ears to help prevent a possible infection.
 
I have read of using olive oil in the ears to help remove ear wax, but not ante-dive.

After a dive I might use a 1:1 preparation of vinegar: isopropyl alcohol in my ears to help prevent a possible infection.
Yeah, but I use the 70% alcohol, so the mix is closer to DrV's suggested equal parts vinegar, alcohol, water.
 
Hi HB,

Lanolin or baby oil are in fact preferable both in terms of cost and stability of the substance.

Regards,

DocVikingo

Interesting Doc, but there are those that say the natural anti-oxidants and enzymes contained in virgin olive oil are actually what make it PREFERABLE to baby oil!

Look at the "Mediterranean Diet" and it's basis, then the incidence of heart attack and stroke!

Curious....
 
Interesting Doc, but there are those that say the natural anti-oxidants and enzymes contained in virgin olive oil are actually what make it PREFERABLE to baby oil!

Look at the "Mediterranean Diet" and it's basis, then the incidence of heart attack and stroke!

Curious....
Uh, so how closely have you looked at it? Here's the American Heart Association's opinion Mediterranean Diet

Excerpting...
There's no one "Mediterranean" diet. At least 16 countries border the Mediterranean Sea. Diets vary between these countries and also between regions within a country. Many differences in culture, ethnic background, religion, economy and agricultural production result in different diets. But the common Mediterranean dietary pattern has these characteristics:
More than half the fat calories in a Mediterranean diet come from monounsaturated fats (mainly from olive oil). Monounsaturated fat doesn't raise blood cholesterol levels the way saturated fat does.

The incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean countries is lower than in the United States. Death rates are lower, too. But this may not be entirely due to the diet. Lifestyle factors (such as more physical activity and extended social support systems) may also play a part.

And there is a lot more to that read, but wanted to highlight those two parts.

BTW, DocV is a renown expert. If he says it, then it is almost positively true. :wink:
 
Uh, so how closely have you looked at it? Here's the American Heart Association's opinion Mediterranean Diet

Excerpting...



And there is a lot more to that read, but wanted to highlight those two parts.

BTW, DocV is a renown expert. If he says it, then it is almost positively true. :wink:

Well, Don, everything you just quoted AFFIRMS exactly what I said : lower incidence of heart disease, as well as lower mortality rates..and perhaps that may be in part due to olive oil use/consumption.

I don't just "believe" any opinion, simply because they are a supposed "expert"--with all due respect to DocV, he made absolutely NO chemical, medical, or physiological qualifications as to WHY baby oil or lanolin are preferable to olive oil...nor what properties make it the "treatment of choice"...

My sister is an MD, and has worked for the WHO, done research for the CDC and also testifies at many Medical Ethics and Professional Medical Organizations--and even she KNOWS that there is no ONE "authority" on anything in the field of medicine, including Dive/Baro Medicine. Anybody who believes otherwise is simply foolish.
 
Interesting Doc, but there are those that say the natural anti-oxidants and enzymes contained in virgin olive oil are actually what make it PREFERABLE to baby oil!

Look at the "Mediterranean Diet" and it's basis, then the incidence of heart attack and stroke!

Curious....

Excuse my ignorance please as I know very little about this, but
wouldn't it have to be consumed internally for the anti-oxidant properties pertaining to heart health?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom