More minging ear

[Timbo]

Originally Posted by ardhill

I would just like to point out that 10% Tea Tree oil in your ear is plain dangerous.

I have worked with Essential oils for years supplying qualified therapists, hospitals, hospices etc and this is waaaayyy OTT a concentration level. Yes, it may have genuinely have helped. Yes, Tea tree has been proven medically to combat infection. Yes as has been said, it may have been the previous medication you used rather than the tea tree.

But that concentration is ridiculously strong for something so sensitive as the ear drum, personally I wouldn't put an essential oil into the ear at all.

If it worked for you then great, but I do caution anyone else thinking of trying this - you may do permanent damage to you ear.

I am not meaning to 'bad mouth' you or 'run you down' Aquatic Mammal, I am trying to help - you really want to think about not doing that.
.

Interesting,,
I have been using lavender oil ,for some time, which worked when prescription jollop did nothing,,except cost me everytime I had a gripeing ear
I wear ear fenders constantly at work and find this stuff helpfull..
I understand that it is a natural anti bacterial, used for centuries..
Only drawback is you smell like a granny's handbag....

Lavender oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[ardhill]

Originally Posted by Timbo

I understand that it is a natural anti bacterial, used for centuries..

Yep it is, and both Lavender and Tea Tree are very useful oils, but they are concentrated and using that level of concentration on an ear drum is not a good idea. I am very pro-essential oil use, but in a correct and safe way.

Now, if you were telling me you were using it on the outside of your ear, then fair enough - work away.

People feel that just because a product is natural then they can use whatever quantities and levels they choose, but remember the following are also natural:

Marijuana
Opium
Deadly nightshade
Salvia
Tobacco
Psilocybin
Cyanide

Essential oils can melt through some plastics (the caps on the bottles must be of certain types of plastic for this and another reason). Essential oils are also good at breaking down glue left behind from stickers. Even though Lavender and Tea Tree are two of the gentlest of the common essential oils, they will cause reaction to people with sensitive skin - redness, burning and blotches.

Now, do you fancy taking that chance with you ultra thin, exceptionally sensitive ear drum? Personally, I won't.
.

[ardhill]

Oh, to put a bit more perspective to what I have been saying...

If you were to go to an aromatherapist for a treatment, and she made an oil to be massaged into the skin for whatever reason, the concentration level should be in the region of 1%-4% essential oil depending of the oils and the treatment (2% is a common norm). This is for massaging onto external skin - the stuff that is tough and less sensitive than an ear drum.

Yes, many people can also take Tea Tree or Lavender in it's full concentration directly onto the skin with no ill effects, but again I am talking about robust, weather beaten, epidermis (top skin layer).

BTW, don't try using any essential oil directly on the skin in full strength, the wrong ones will burn and be sore.

[Captain Calamity]

A quack writes:

You sound like you are describing a condition called otitis externa, which is sometimes called "swimmer's ear". It is caused by bugs getting into the ear canal (often from the water itself) and then getting into the tissues and causing an infection. It happens much more commonly if you do anything that damages the protective layer of the skin (i.e. daft things like using cotton buds or keys to clean your ears). Just like the rest of your skin, you can get eczema in your ear canal, and this can predispose you to recurrent bouts of otitis externa - if this sounds like you, then it may be worth discussing with your GP as steroid drops can settle this down.

I would not recommend using 10% tea tree oil for this. I am sure it will cure most infections known to science, but after it has eaten through your ear drum God only knows what it will do to the inside of your head.

If caught early mild cases can sometimes be treated with acetic acid drops from your pharmacist (EarCalm drops). More severe cases often need antibiotic drops, and usually (9 out of 10 times) locorten vioform will do the job. Occasionally gentisone is needed, usually when you have a bug called Pseudomonas.

I would advise anyone with symptoms of itching and pain in their ear canal to seek advice - either a pharmacist or doctor depending on the severity of the symptoms. This condition can occasionally get quite nasty and need antibiotic tablets or injections, or even the attention of an ENT surgeon - definitely not the sort of thing you should be treating yourself with duct tape, or toilet duck or whatever it is you have lying about the kitchen cupboard.

CC

[Aquatic Mammal]

Originally Posted by Captain Calamity

A quack writes:

I would not recommend using 10% tea tree oil for this. I am sure it will cure most infections known to science, but after it has eaten through your ear drum God only knows what it will do to the inside of your head.

CC

Whoa, this is just plain scary!

Now I need a new idea for a continuing preventative measure. Either that or I stop swimming and diving then inflate like a barrage baloon again

[StephM]

Yep, don't pour Tea tree oil down your lug 'ole. I had a bit of a itchy, sore ear last night and thought what the hell I'll bang some Tea Tree oil down it. The lovely cooling sensation as the oil poured into the ear was very quickly followed by a rather annoying, agonising burning feeling. A quick rinse of the ear and I'm back to the Olive Oil again.

[Aquatic Mammal]

Originally Posted by StephM

Yep, don't pour Tea tree oil down your lug 'ole. I had a bit of a itchy, sore ear last night and thought what the hell I'll bang some Tea Tree oil down it. The lovely cooling sensation as the oil poured into the ear was very quickly followed by a rather annoying, agonising burning feeling. A quick rinse of the ear and I'm back to the Olive Oil again.

Yes, straight tea tree oil would do that! I did dilute mine by adding about 20 drops to olive oil and was thinking of changing to diluting in almond oil untill everyone scared the $hyte out of me!

[Captain Calamity]

Originally Posted by Aquatic Mammal

Whoa, this is just plain scary!

Now I need a new idea for a continuing preventative measure. Either that or I stop swimming and diving then inflate like a barrage baloon again

You could try the EarCalm spray (either as a preventative measure immediately after swimming or at the first sign of trouble) or alternatively make an appointment with your GP to see if you have an underlying ear problem that makes you vulnerable to these infections e.g. eczema which will respond well to steroid drops.

It's very unusual to have to stop swimming because of this, so don't despair.

HTH

CC