Water in Ear

[DevonDiver]

From personal experience, I would advise against using vinegar or alcohol type solutions if you are conducting diving. The only time I had a (double) ear infection was on a diving holiday to the Maldives, where I had taken a commercial ear drying 'protective' solution (available off the shelf in dive centers).

The harsh liquid basically irritated by ear canals and stripped them of protective wax.

Use it if you will be out of the water for a week afterwards...or if you actually have a diagnosed ear infection.... but do not use it if you plan dives within the days afterwards.

Not a medical opinion....just personal experience after 16 years, 4000+ dives and one occurance of ear infection....

 

[jhayes75]

From personal experience, I would advise against using vinegar or alcohol type solutions if you are conducting diving. The only time I had a (double) ear infection was on a diving holiday to the Maldives, where I had taken a commercial ear drying 'protective' solution (available off the shelf in dive centers).

The harsh liquid basically irritated by ear canals and stripped them of protective wax.

Use it if you will be out of the water for a week afterwards...or if you actually have a diagnosed ear infection.... but do not use it if you plan dives within the days afterwards.

Not a medical opinion....just personal experience after 16 years, 4000+ dives and one occurance of ear infection....

In my opinion, rinsing the ear after every dive should not cause a problem. Many divers claim to have used this method after every dive without problems. I agree if you kept the mixture in your ear for five minutes between dives that it could cause a problem. The objective is to prevent the organisms in the ear from rapidly multiplying which is the cause of an ear infection.

 

[doctormike]

OK, just saw this, better late than never...! I don't usually monitor the "Dr. Decompression" threads, since this forum is really meant for DCI...

Here's my post from an old thread about this stuff:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3792526-post16.html

A pint of rubbing alcohol with a few tablespoons of white vinegar works fine, and a little portable ear dryer (see the link) also can work wonders if this is a regular problem or if you are diving a lot...


Mike

 

[DevonDiver]

In my opinion, rinsing the ear after every dive should not cause a problem. Many divers claim to have used this method after every dive without problems. I agree if you kept the mixture in your ear for five minutes between dives that it could cause a problem. The objective is to prevent the organisms in the ear from rapidly multiplying which is the cause of an ear infection.

As I said, I can only base my opinion on personal experience. I am not sure if there is any wider statistics, or reports, about using mixtures on a regular basis.

After I got my only (double) ear infection from the one diving holiday where I rinsed my ears with mixture, I never did this again.

Nowadays, I just rinse my ears post-dive with a capful of bottled water. I dive 2-4 times a day, nearly every day. Never had an infection doing that.

 

[DandyDon]

As I said, I can only base my opinion on personal experience. I am not sure if there is any wider statistics, or reports, about using mixtures on a regular basis.

After I got my only (double) ear infection from the one diving holiday where I rinsed my ears with mixture, I never did this again.

Nowadays, I just rinse my ears post-dive with a capful of bottled water. I dive 2-4 times a day, nearly every day. Never had an infection doing that.

Well, when a Tech Instructor posts, it carries a lot of weight - as it should, and you did say...

"The harsh liquid basically irritated by ear canals and stripped them of protective wax."

"Use it if you will be out of the water for a week afterwards...or if you actually have a diagnosed ear infection.... but do not use it if you plan dives within the days afterwards."​

Those are rather strong claims, and differ greatly with various DAN publications, especially using it on ears already infected which is generally considered wrong.

While I accept that you had a bad infection, I question whether vinegar and alcohol were the cause? Your problem happened while "on a diving holiday to the Maldives, where I had taken a commercial ear drying 'protective' solution (available off the shelf in dive centers)." Did you purchase this there, or where?

At any rate, advice from a Tech Instructor is always appreciated, but since DAN, several other dive physicians, and my grandson's ENT like vinegar & alcohol - I think I'll continue to go with the majority opinion.

I do keep a bottle of ear infection treatment in my hypochondriac bag in the room tho, just in case. I've had enough infections and know the usual treatment to maybe try that first if my preventive fails.

 

[DevonDiver]

As I said (twice before)....that was only my own personal experience and conclusions.

Ha ha.... my teaching qualification has nothing to do with this thread or topic...as, you know, ear infections, prevention and treatment, is not covered on any technical diving course...

I've dived for 16 years...and only ever 'tried' using a mixture during one period (the 2 week holiday in Maldives)...and that was my only experience of ear infection.

It could be coincidence - I am really not personally informed enough to say....

As it was a commercial solution...and this was several years ago...I cannot remember the ingredients or brand name of the solution that I used. However, it was some sort of swimmers/divers ear remedy.

When I say I wouldn't use a solution again.... I mean as a general ear drying/preventative measure. If I felt the onset of possible ear infection (itchyness and pain in the ear canal), then I would discontinue diving and use an appropriate solution....

My girlfriend (sat here next to me), is an ENT Surgeon... and she says that she would only prescribe a vinegar solution "when there was active discharge"..

Ethanol based solutions should never be used, because it dries the ear canal 'too much' and causes irritation...especially if used in conjunction with cotton buds etc.

Another issue with White Vinegar, is the concentration. Here in the Philippines, only one brand is trusted and used (according to my girlfriend) by doctors for these purposes.

I don't want to get into an argument, my only contribution to this thread is that, other than the once incidence in the Maldives, I've never had an ear infection prior or since....and fresh water rinse has always been sufficient for me - even when diving 4x a day, 7 days a week for months straight....

 

[bleeb]

From personal experience, I would advise against using vinegar or alcohol type solutions if you are conducting diving. The only time I had a (double) ear infection was on a diving holiday to the Maldives, where I had taken a commercial ear drying 'protective' solution (available off the shelf in dive centers).

The harsh liquid basically irritated by ear canals and stripped them of protective wax.

Use it if you will be out of the water for a week afterwards...or if you actually have a diagnosed ear infection.... but do not use it if you plan dives within the days afterwards.

Not a medical opinion....just personal experience after 16 years, 4000+ dives and one occurance of ear infection....

In one of the magazine articles over the years about divers' ear care, I vaguely remember one comment that some commercial mixes are actually quite bad and highly not recommended by knowledgeable dive ear docs. Is there a reference in in the thread doctormike suggested? Your use of the phrase "harsh liquid... stripped them of protective wax" suggests this might have been the case, while IIRC one of the reasons prophylactic alcohol and vinegar mixtures are acceptable is they specifically are not suppose to strip out much wax.

 

[DandyDon]

Ok, you bought some OTC product somewhere, don't know the country or source; you tried it once and it didn't work for you; you used an authoritative tone with "Use it if you" but that could be your habitual way of talking as an Inst; and you agree that you are not an authority.

I'm not either, but I have had many infections when I didn't use the mix; I have had no infections when I did use it; and many physicians recommend it - however you may have paraphrased your ENT's statements.

thanks!

 

[DevonDiver]

Sorry if my earlier posted sounded authoritative...it was not meant to be. Thanks for pointing that out. I am a firm believer in not passing on information unless qualified to do so. Opinion yes, claiming 'hard facts' no.

The mixture I used on that occasion was bought at the National Dive Show, in London, England. It was marketed as a preventative measure against ear infections - but it had the opposite effect.

 

[ScubaRich]

Every time I dive, I tend to get water in my ear.
I always go down at a very slow pace and clear every 1-2 feet. Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening? Any help would be much appreciated.

Jason

You may want to look into a product called, Docs Pro Plugs. I personally have not used them but some guys I dive with swear by them.
WARNING... MAKE SURE THEY ARE VENTED! or you could be in for some discomfort to say the least.