Recurring Ear Issues

[Aquatrax]

OK, I get a case of swimmer's ear after retuning from Mexico. No big deal, go to a General Practioner and get antibacterial ear drops, problem solved.

2 weeks later, I wake up on Saturday(Haven't dove in a week) and presto, my ear is sore (same ear). Go to an ENT this time and yep, another ear infection. During the exam, he informs me that I have ZERO ear wax and that is the reason for the infection recurring.

His advice is to put a few drops of Olive Oil in my ears after my usual dose of ear beer to provide some protection until the wax returns. He says this should help.

Has anyone tried the olive oil in the ear thing or experienced the complete depletion of wax?

[mwhities]

I heard the wax is good to have in your ear. Helps block the water from getting to your skin inside your ear. Never heard of Olive Oil being used. I just use my 50/50 alcohol/vinager.

Michael

[DevilDiver]

Alcohol based drops are good for helping ears to dry out and kill bacteria. If used for extended periods or in excess the skin of the inner and outer ear can become dry witch can promote infection, use of an oil based drops can help keep the skin moist if this occurs. These can usually be found in the pharmacy next to the alcohol based drops.

Excessive ear wax can trap water and keep moisture from evaporating in the ear as well and should be removed but normal amounts of ear wax should be left because it protects the ear.

[MR.BLUE]

Never heard of Olive Oil drops, but It sounds like it makes sense. Olive oil is natural and will coat the ear...just enough to repel water. This may be a great way to prevent ear infections in water similar to that of the New York / New Jersey shore,...in a word,...NASTY!!!!!

the only downfall i could see is the fish nibbling at our ears,......LOL

[Aquatrax]

Thanks guys, I'll give it a try and hope for the best. Hopefully the wax will return.

With the vinegar and olive oil, maybe I should use crutons for ear plugs!

[Grin]

I had the same issues a few years back. No wax in one ear and frequesnt battles with swimmers ear. I used 50/50 mix of vinegar/alchohol with excellent results. As instruced by soem DAN article I read as follows. Lay on your side and fill the ear canal with the 50/50 mix, and lay there for exactly 5 minutes. I did that after a days diving for a couple years religiously and it worked. I have quit doing it here in the last 6 months to a year as I have ear wax in that ear now and have had no issues. Pryor to that I went to ear docs and they gave me all sorts of ear drops that did little or nothing. Ear wax is good as it keeps water from soaking into the ear canal tissue where it flares up in a ear canal infection after a few days. The alchohol drys the ear canal tissue out and the vinegar controls PH (whatever that is). Too much drying is no good, and to little drying is no good either. And excessive use will remove ear wax. So the entire thing is a delicate battle. Don't use the swimmers ear stuff at drug stores. That stuff is 99% alcohol and should only be used if you have trapped water that dulls your hearing in a ear.

[Aquatrax]

Originally Posted by Grin

I had the same issues a few years back. No wax in one ear and frequesnt battles with swimmers ear. I used 50/50 mix of vinegar/alchohol with excellent results. As instruced by soem DAN article I read as follows. Lay on your side and fill the ear canal with the 50/50 mix, and lay there for exactly 5 minutes. I did that after a days diving for a couple years religiously and it worked. I have quit doing it here in the last 6 months to a year as I have ear wax in that ear now and have had no issues. Pryor to that I went to ear docs and they gave me all sorts of ear drops that did little or nothing. Ear wax is good as it keeps water from soaking into the ear canal tissue where it flares up in a ear canal infection after a few days. The alchohol drys the ear canal tissue out and the vinegar controls PH (whatever that is). Too much drying is no good, and to little drying is no good either. And excessive use will remove ear wax. So the entire thing is a delicate battle. Don't use the swimmers ear stuff at drug stores. That stuff is 99% alcohol and should only be used if you have trapped water that dulls your hearing in a ear.

I used the drug store stuff once, burned like hell!

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by Aquatrax

OK, I get a case of swimmer's ear after retuning from Mexico. No big deal, go to a General Practioner and get antibacterial ear drops, problem solved.

2 weeks later, I wake up on Saturday(Haven't dove in a week) and presto, my ear is sore (same ear). Go to an ENT this time and yep, another ear infection. During the exam, he informs me that I have ZERO ear wax and that is the reason for the infection recurring.

His advice is to put a few drops of Olive Oil in my ears after my usual dose of ear beer to provide some protection until the wax returns. He says this should help.

Has anyone tried the olive oil in the ear thing or experienced the complete depletion of wax?

Sound advice under the circumstances.

Be sure you're using your ear beer for the full 5 minutes in each ear, and you should be good to go.

[Sansho]

If you haven't read it already, here's the link to one of the DAN articles: DAN Divers Alert Network : More On Swimmers Ear