Swimmers Ear

[b2kat]

I recently picked up a bad case of swimmers ear a few months back and needed to get it medically treated. Now after I dive I get a small outbreak and then it naturally clears itself up after a few days. It is not painful but I know its there. Since there is no good way of keeping my ears dry while diving (that I know of), I have been looking at ear drops (e.g. Aqua Swim-Ear, Drying Aid). Has anyone ever used these drops, do they work, and is there a better solution?

 

[billtodive]

I have used the vented pro plugs and rarely have even a drop in the ear.

If anyone said they didn't like them, I wouldn't hear with them in, though.

 

[TimAZ]

I tried drops for a recent case of simmers ear and they did not help at all. Like you I had to see the doctor & buy some $120 prescription ear drops that did work. To prevent swimmers ear, I know several divers who swear by Doc's Pro Plugs (vented).There is a pinhole to allow equalization, but still keeps the bulk of the water out. Never tried them myself, but they may be worth a shot.

 

[b2kat]

Yeah I had the same $120.00 ear drops, they worked eventually coupled with some horse pill sized antibitoics (inner ear as well). Doc's Pro Plug are an interesting idea, I was not aware that they made vented ear plugs, interesting idea.

Has anyone tried the ear drying drops?

 

[Hoyden]

I used to use drops and then I got an ear dryer - you can buy them at Target rebranded as Mack's Ear Dryer for $59.99. I use one regularly and have had no more ear problems.

Jackie

 

[diverdowndh]

I never used ear drops until I got some sea water in my ears and could not clear them. By the time I got back home I had one of the worst ear infections that I've ever had. Went to the doc and got treatment but took a while to cure and was VERY painful. His recommendation was to use something like Swim-Ear and I use it faithfully - Every time I get out of the ocean I put a drop in both ears and I've never had a problem since. I keep it in my mesh bag with my mask defog, etc. I've gotten looks and questions about it occassionally but I don't care, as long as I don't get another infection! Most people, when they see what it is, want to use it - which is why I always bring plenty on the boat. Kinda makes me feel like the "experienced" diver on the boat, helping the other divers out, ha!

 

[battles2a5]

I have the exact same problem as you. Never had an issue w/ swimmer's ear until I started diving in a quarry. Now that I got it, I feel like it starts to come back after every trip to the quarry but a much milder case. I just started using the swimmer's ear drops and they seem to be doing the trick. If you don't want to spend the money you can use a mixture of white vinegar and alcohol (or peroxide, depending on who you ask). I'm not a doctor so I don't know what the impact of the alcohol vs. peroxide is, just using anecdotal experience here.

 

[Guy Carrier]

B2kat,

In December I went on a liveaboard for two weeks and we did 4-5 dives a day. By the end of the first week of diving, after totally ignoring my ears, I had a serious case of swimmers ear. I started treating it with antibiotic eardrops on Thursday. At the same time one of the liveaboard dive instructors saw me fussing with my ear and recommended that I use hydrogen peroxide in the ear.

I was panicked so I used both the antibiotics and the hydrogen peroxide. With a gap in diving from Friday noon to Sunday morning I was able to get the ear dried out and get ahead of the infection with the antibiotic drops and the hydrogen peroxide. By Sunday morning the ear was tender but the pain was diminishing rather than growing. My wife then introduced a bottle of ear-dry to the mix and I used it religiously after most every dive during the second week. By the end of the week I had no pain or other symptoms of swimmer's ear.

I should say that the ear-dry drops felt like pouring boiling water into my ear for the first couple of days. My wife believes that the internal ear canal was really tender because of the hydrogen peroxide. Lesson learned: Use the ear-dry drops before the ear infection and you should avoid all of this. We did get 49 dives during the two weeks with no dives called because of ear problems.

Hope this helps,

Guy

 

[keezdiver]

a good way to solve the problem is to prevent it all together.

i worked at a marine science summer camp, where we were in the water...sometimes nasty inshore mucky water...several times a day. and the kids were there for 18days. so a case of swimmer's ear was a big problem.

we use to use a home brew to keep out ears clean and disease free

50/50 rubbing alcohol and distilled vinegar.

put it in a squeeze bottle....old squeeze top water bottle...or better yet the bottles that eye contact saline solution comes in (you must know someone that uses the stuff).

just tilt your head to the side, squirt some in and let it sit for a few seconds...then do the other side.
tastes nasty....but it works. never had a problem in 3 months of working there, being in crappy water 3-5 times a day.

and it's cheap!!!

 

[DivingPrincessE]

The people saying that the over the counter cheap ear drops don't work...well obviously they aren't going to cure an ear infection that you already have...at that point you need an Rx (I would think that is a no brainer). BUT if you use the swimmer's ear stuff every time you get out of the water, it does work...it's a prevention product not a treatment product. I use to get ear infections all the time as a kid, until I started using swimmer's ear. When you get out of the water shake your head to get the excess water out. Then put 2-3 drops of the cheap swimmer's ear stuff in. Keep your head titled for a good 3-5 minutes, then do the other side.

But if you already HAVE an ear infection then no, swimmer's ear and the other cheap drops aren't going to fix it...duh