Pre/Post dive ear care

[skywalk]

I have been reading all the threads about equal parts of acetic acid/distilled water/isopropyl alcohol mixes in the ear to prevent otitis externa.

my question is, I have noticed conflicting recommendations on how long to leave it in the ear for, and how often to use it.

1) leave it for a few seconds per ear or 3-5mins?
2) do it after every dive or just at the end of the day?

I am also concerned that vinegar stinks. Can I go with the suggestion of the homeopathic doctor and use ecchinecea, distilled water, and alcohol instead? ( sutstitute the vinegar with some plant-based anti bacterial agents)

thanks for taking the time to read this

 

[rawls]

Skywalk...If you use a solution with isopropyl alcohol, put 4 or 5 drops in the ear. You do not let it sit then rinse it out. Just put the drops in and let them stay in...I would think it would be ok to use after repeated recurrence...

 

[JEScholz]

I use a 50/50 mix of alcohol & white vinegar. A few drops at the end of the day, let it sit for a couple of minutes then let it drain. Clean, dry and fresh. By the way, don't worry about the vinegar smell, If someone wants to smell your ears, run and don't look back!

 

[skywalk]

HAHAHAHA no....lol not worried about somebody sniffing my ears. i'm worried about ME constantly smelling vinegar. so if you "let it sit for a couple of mins then let it drain"
this means you're lying on your side for a few mins per ear? I'm such a lazy person I dunno if I could be bothered to do that
thanks for the replies so far

 

[meekal]

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/article.asp?articleid=48

from the EXPERTS:

The head is tilted to one side and the external ear canal gently filled with the solution, which must remain in the canal for five minutes. The head is then tilted to the other side, the solution allowed to run out, and the procedure repeated for the other ear. The five-minute duration must be timed with a watch. If the solution does not remain in the ear a full five minutes, the effectiveness of the procedure is greatly reduced.
- From the U.S. Navy Diving Manual

after 4 dives a day for 4 days my ear starting feeling funny - my 'solution' was 50/50 vingar/water (couldn't find ISOPROL ALCOHOL in Bonaire) - worked like a champ....

 

[orangelemon]

Have had ear infections before, the doctors here recommend cotton buds only, their theory is that the infection needs water to grow and I can imagine that dirty water in the ear acts like a petri dish breeding bacteria / infections

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Orangelemon,

If by "cotton buds" you mean a cotton swab device such as Q-Tips, you may be interested in the following:

How can external otitis be prevented?
http://www.medicineonline.com/refer...ders/Eczema/info/Swimmers-Ear-Otitis-Externa/

Question of the Month
http://www.hearingcenteronline.com/newsletter/august00h.shtml

Keeping Ears Clean & Dry
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/42/1685_50320.htm

Is it OK to use Q-tips?
http://www.medicinenet.com/ear_wax/page3.htm

What to take away from your reading: "Never put anything smaller than your elbow into your ear canal!"

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Meekal,

"Isopropyl" alcohol is also known as rubbing alcohol and can be found on Bonaire at the Cultimara in Kralendijk.

In any event, having alcohol in the mix is much less important than having vinegar, and I'm not surprised that your half and half water and vinegar home-brew was effective.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[Mako Mark]

leave your ears alone if you can


wash them as soon as you get out of the sea at the same time that you wash your mouth and use the same water.

What you want to avoid is salt crystals forming in your ears, especially if you have ear wax in there as the crystals can break the skin and allow bacteria into the subcutaneous cells and cause infection.

After a days diving, clean them out with (dilute) hydrogen peroxide, not the stuff you bleach your hair with, but the stuff you sterilise cuts with. It kinda pops and crackles in the ear for 20 seconds, but that is just the cleaning action.

If you have itching that persists more than an hour or so, then you need a topical antibiotic eardrop, neomycin sulpate, bacitracin, something like that, an ounce of antibiotic prevention can prevent a world of pain.

If you prevent it this way you should never need oral antibiotics that mean you have left it too late and shouldnt be diving..

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Skywalk,

For best results, following each dive dry the outer ear, tilt the head, work 3-4 drops of the solution into the ear canal and remain in that position for 5 minutes. Do not rinse.

Concerning substituting "echinacea" (Echinacea purpurea) for the vinegar in the mix, I suspect that the homeopathic practitioner may have recommend this herb based on speculation regarding it's possible antibiotic and immune-boosting properties when taken orally. However, these properties have yet to be demonstrated when the plant extract is applied in topical form, such as an ear solution.

Moreover, the purpose of the vinegar is to alter the pH balance (in the direction of increased acidity) of the ear canal so as to make it a less hospitable place for the growth of bacteria and fungi. While echinacea is reported to be slightly acidic, I'm not convinced that it's a good substitute for distilled white vinegar.

How about a splash of after shave following use of the drops? ; )

Regards,

DocVikingo