Water in Ear

[bractune]

Thanks for all your input.
I have decided to go see a DAN referred ENT doc to make sure everything is working right. Lets see what he says. Doesnt hurt to be sure. Id rather be safe and do preventative measure before my next dive (which will be in Turks and Caicos next month wooo!).

 

[scubadivemaldives]

I always have ear problems when diving. One doctor told me that the worst thing for the ears is all the plankton that gets in there and just stays there, especially if you have a narrow ear canal like I do. I use neat alcohol after every dive and even after swimming in any ocean/river. Sure, it stings a little, but it doesnt irritate me, and its quick and easy.

 

[DeepSeaDan]

Thanks for all your input.
I have decided to go see a DAN referred ENT doc to make sure everything is working right. Lets see what he says. Doesnt hurt to be sure. Id rather be safe and do preventative measure before my next dive (which will be in Turks and Caicos next month wooo!).

...to keep my head on a "neutral" or " level" plane while diving. If I do so, I find that no water enters my ear canals. If I tilt my head to either side more than a little bit, I feel the water start to enter the canal.

Give it a shot.

Best,
DSD

 

[boulderjohn]

Well, what a coincidence. My July/August issue of Alert Diver from DAN arrived yesterday, and I read it this morning. The last article is on medical tips to save a dive trip, and page 67 recommends the 1:1 isopropyl alcohol to vinegar recipe. The author says she routinely administers it to everyone in a dive group at the end of a day.

As for me, I used to suffer from outer ear infections, and I started using the solution regularly quite a few years ago with success. I heard an overuse warning and cut back. I find that I am OK using it occasionally for the most part.

Like Don, I usually use the quick rinse method rather than the 5 minute dosing, and I actually think that is normally what you should do. It gets the water out without doing too much to irritate the ear.

On the other hand, if I think something more is going on, I go full bore. Just last week I was on a dive trip and awoke in the middle of the night with the unmistakable feel of a beginning infection. I immediately got the drops and gave it more than 5 minutes in each ear. Two hours later I repeated it. By the next morning I was fine.

By the way, I had never before heard the recommendation for isopropyl alcohol. I have always used rubbing alcohol, as I did last week.

 

[Standard11]

By the way, I had never before heard the recommendation for isopropyl alcohol. I have always used rubbing alcohol, as I did last week.

isopropyl alcohol is rubbing alcohol, its just the chemical name vs the generic/commercial name...just an fyi

 

[DandyDon]

isopropyl alcohol is rubbing alcohol, its just the chemical name vs the generic/commercial name...just an fyi

I never know whether to believe Wikipedia or not but here are their articles...

Rubbing alcohol, USP / B.P. is a liquid prepared and used primarily for topical application. It is prepared from a special denaturized alcohol solution and contains 97.5-100% by volume of pure, concentrated ethanol (ethyl alcohol)[1]. Individual manufacturers can use their own "formulation standards" in which the ethanol content usually ranges from 70-99% v/v.[citation needed] In the UK the equivalent skin preparation is surgical spirit which is always based on an ethyl alcohol-methyl alcohol mixture.

The term "rubbing alcohol" has become a general non-specific term for either isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) or ethyl alcohol (ethanol) rubbing-alcohol products. The confusion comes from the greater popularity of isopropyl rubbing alcohol, and as a result, individuals requesting "rubbing alcohol" generally expect and get an isopropyl alcohol product. However, the British Pharmacopoeia and United States Pharmacopeia standards (standards recognized in many countries other than just the UK and USA) define rubbing alcohol as a mixture of ethanol and water of fixed proportions.

Do not consume...

Isopropyl alcohol (also propan-2-ol, 2-propanol, iso, isopro, isoprop, rubbing alcohol, or the abbreviation IPA) is a common name for isopropanol, a colorless, flammable chemical compound with a strong odor. It has the molecular formula C3H7OH and is the simplest example of a secondary alcohol, where the alcohol carbon is attached to two other carbons. It is an isomer of propanol.

Safe to ingest in moderation...

Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug, best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages and in modern thermometers. Ethanol is one of the oldest recreational drugs. In common usage, it is often referred to simply as alcohol or spirits.

Ethanol is a straight-chain alcohol, and its molecular formula is C2H5OH. Its empirical formula is C2H6O. An alternative notation is CH3-CH2-OH, which indicates that the carbon of a methyl group (CH3-) is attached to the carbon of a methylene group (-CH2-), which is attached to the oxygen of a hydroxyl group (-OH). It is a constitutional isomer of dimethyl ether. Ethanol is often abbreviated as EtOH, using the common organic chemistry notation of representing the ethyl group (C2H5) with Et.

The fermentation of sugar into ethanol is one of the earliest organic reactions employed by humanity. The intoxicating effects of ethanol consumption have been known since ancient times. In modern times, ethanol intended for industrial use is also produced from by-products of petroleum refining.[1]
Ethanol has widespread use as a solvent of substances intended for human contact or consumption, including scents, flavorings, colorings, and medicines. In chemistry, it is both an essential solvent and a feedstock for the synthesis of other products. It has a long history as a fuel for heat and light and also as a fuel for internal combustion engines.

I use 50% Isopropyl I now find at the Dollar store, mix equally with vinegar rather than 33-33-33 of 70% Isopropyl, 4-5% white vinegar, and RO or distilled water often suggested. I think either will work tho; if you can't get anything else, use 80-100 proof liquor (40-50% ethanol) with white vinegar.