Outer Ear infection prevention?

[Lobzilla]

I got a rather annoying infection of the left ear canal (otitis externa) probably due to a high bacteria count following the recent flooding on the East Coast.

Is there any prophylactic measure other than not entering the water?

 

[Jax]

I got a rather annoying infection of the left ear canal (otitis externa) probably due to a high bacteria count following the recent flooding on the East Coast.

Is there any prophylactic measure other than not entering the water?

Oh, no! Sorry to hear that!

I use the Ear Beer - 50% rubbing alcohol and 50% white vinegar after the dive - I've had no problems with the outer ear.

 

[felixtibs]

My ear still won't clear after a week...ent exam negative.. Feels full ever since post flood diving conditions.tried all otc needs no avail.got a script for nasonex...does nothing.I want to jam a needle in there....

 

[Blue Sparkle]

I have used the same mix. 50% white vinegar and 50% alcohol (drugstore type). It's not prophylactic in the sense of using it before a dive, but what you do is use it after the dive. I fill up one ear, lie down, and wait five full minutes - then do the other ear. I have the solution in a dropper bottle.

I first read about this in a medical book for cruisers, i.e. sailors who may spend quite a bit of time in the tropics, and may need to self-medicate.

It's one of those things that is hard to put a number on how well it works, since you don't know what might have happened if you didn't use it; but I snorkeled pretty much every day in the tropics (where infections love to start and not heal) for the better part of a year, used this routine religiously, and did not get any ear infections. The book said it was important to do the full five minutes in each ear.

I believe the vinegar kills the "bugs" and the alcohol dries the canal (which also helps). <--- wrong info; see Jax's correction below.

Blue Sparkle

 

[Jax]

I have used the same mix. 50% white vinegar and 50% alcohol (drugstore type). It's not prophylactic in the sense of using it before a dive, but what you do is use it after the dive. I fill up one ear, lie down, and wait five full minutes - then do the other ear. I have the solution in a dropper bottle.

I first read about this in a medical book for cruisers, i.e. sailors who may spend quite a bit of time in the tropics, and may need to self-medicate.

It's one of those things that is hard to put a number on how well it works, since you don't know what might have happened if you didn't use it, but I swam pretty much every day in the tropics for the better part of a year and by using this routine religiously did not get any ear infections. The book said it was important to do the full five minutes in each ear.

I believe the vinegar kills the "bugs" and the alcohol dries the canal (which also helps).

Blue Sparkle

Vinegar restores the ph balance to the ear, to prevent the alcohol from over-drying it.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

My ear still won't clear after a week...ent exam negative.. Feels full ever since post flood diving conditions.tried all otc needs no avail.got a script for nasonex...does nothing.I want to jam a needle in there....

That sounds like it may be a problem with your middle ear, which would be completely different from the outer ear that the OP was asking about. Basically, your middle ear is "behind" the ear drum so you cannot get anything in there by putting it into your outer ear (on the side of your head). Fluid gets in there by coming from "inside" your head.

I had a middle ear problem that I gave myself after a cold (blew gunk up in there from inside - stupid!) and it gave me similar symptoms. There really isn't any "quick fix" that I know of. Basically, eventually it went away. I think the body eventually reabsorbs the fluid.

If you search otitis media with effusion you can read more about the middle ear (although I had no pain or infection, so maybe what I had would have a different name). My doctor checked it out and gave me some things to try, but he said it would most likely be "tincture of time," which my web research went along with.

I did do a maneuver where I "pumped" my eustachian tube, which is called the Galbraith Technique (yes, I was getting desperate). I'm not sure if it helped, but it may have.

It was really annoying while I had it.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

Vinegar restores the ph balance to the ear, to prevent the alcohol from over-drying it.

Thanks for the correction, Jax. I've been using it for so long I guess I forgot the purpose of each ingredient.

 

[Lobzilla]

Thanks guys, I will add a bottle to my dive kit.

Just want to mention that I tried the isopropanol/vinegar mix but way too late. Used it a day and a half after the dive when the ear started feeling funny and the mix hurt like a bear and traumatized the already inflamed tissue even more. Definitely not recommended in a "day after" application.

 

[Jax]

Thanks guys.

I tried the isopropanol/vinegar mix but way too late. I used it a day and a half after the dive when the ear started feeling funny and the mix hurt like a bear and traumatized the already inflamed tissue even more. Definitely not recommended in a "day after" application.

No kidding! :shocked2: I bet that burned like hell!

 

[Blue Sparkle]

Ouch, yeah, that is probably a bit late. I have stretched it to around an hour, or even two hours after a dive, but I think at that point the ears are still "wet." I hope your ear infection clears up quickly.