Ear, Ear.........

[Daz217]

Arghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dived a fair bit this last 2 weeks something like 14 Dives both Sea and Fresh. Well my left Ear feels like it has swollen up inside and it itches like buggery. Well been naughty and tried to scratch it with a cotton bud i know i know it's bigger than my elbow and i shouldn't do it but the itch is driving me mad. Anyway turns out can't get the cotton bud down my ear canal so assuming it is swollen. It also hurts if i rub the outside of my ear again to satisfy the infernal itch.
Guessing i have some sort of ear infection which in fairness has not stopped me equalising whilst diving so rightly or wrongly i have continued to dive because i like it
Any tips for resolving/curing the problem other than don't go in the water . I am currently using ear drops left over from the kids last bout of ear trouble. Don't really want to trouble the Doc as i'm sure it will resolve on it's own as it did last time it happened. Just the itching is driving me bonkers now i know how my dog feels when he is scratching his ears

[Boat Elf]

Sounds like you should head to the doc. The drops you're taking are probably out of date (they usually go off quite quickly) and sounds like it's really irritating. The quicker you get it fixed, the quicker you'll be able to get back in the water.

[SoggyFox]

sounds like Otitis Externa, i get it from time to time, feels like i can't move my jaw and hurts if i roll over onto that side of my head at night.

go to doctor and get some drops, clears up in about a week.

NB - one thing i found is don't use ear buds at all, they just irriate the ear even more and make you more suseptable to it. get some drops to clear your ears from time to time, i use a bit of the oily ear drops stuff the night before i dive now to act as an oily barrier and seems to be working fine now.

[MuscleBob.Buffpants]

I used to get this a lot when diving.

A diving doctor recommended that I use a mixture of 50/50 isopropyl alcohol and white vinegar (or 5% acetic acid solution if you can get it instead of the vinegar).

After the end of each days dive, lie on your side and fill your ear canal with this mixture and leave it for 10 minutes. It may feel a bit hot - this is just the alcohol evaporating. The alcohol drives the moisture out and the vinegar/acetic acid gives the ear a slightly acidic pH which reduces the bacteria in there.

I haven't had an ear infection post diving since I started doing this.

Importantly, if you notice an ear infection coming (i.e. pain, dischage etc,) DO NOT use this mixture, see a doctor and get some antibiotic drops.

NB. I am not a doctor or connected with the medical profession - this is something that I was recommended and it works for me.

[Mrs F]

I know the sign of when I'm starting to get an ear infection, I get an itchy ear - DO NOT ITCH IT!!!! If you can resist itching it, it might not go into a full blown painful infection.

Def need to go the doctor and get some drops - don't really know if you should be diving with an ear infection, albeit it is outer ear, if it goes inner ear it could affect your senses...

After the end of each days dive, lie on your side and fill your ear canal with this mixture and leave it for 10 minutes. It may feel a bit hot - this is just the alcohol evaporating. The alcohol drives the moisture out and the vinegar/acetic acid gives the ear a slightly acidic pH which reduces the bacteria in there.

Sounds interesting, nice and smelly??!!!! Would not warm salt water 9as in water from a kettle which is boiled and cooled down with salt added) do the trick??

Rachael

[windymiller]

It s sounds like the same infection I used to get if diving too much!

It is basically a fungal growth in the ear; can get it if you dont wash shampoo out of your ear properly.

I ended up having to get canestan ear drops, as it is basically thrush of the ear!

I was told a mix of white vinegar and something else was good after diving to clear any crap out

[MuscleBob.Buffpants]

Originally Posted by Mrs F

Sounds interesting, nice and smelly??!!!! Would not warm salt water 9as in water from a kettle which is boiled and cooled down with salt added) do the trick??

Rachael

I must admit I do smell a bit like salad dressing afterwards. I have tried flushing out my ear with sterile saline solutions, but still got an infection. The problem is (for me) that any moisture in my ear, sterile or not, will more often than not result in an infection.

So I use the alcohol to dry out the ear canal. The acidic component helps create an environment that is not a happy place for bacteria. The only downside is the comments I receive about my eau de salad dressing smell!!

[greenpants]

EarCalm!!

I get frequent outer ear infections and I can usually spot them coming quite early. I'd use EarCalm before bothering the doc. I believe it's just a sterile vinegar solution in a handy spray, it certainly smells like vinegar.

It's fantastic stuff, I always have some on every trip!

It usually clears up in a few days.

I'm considering getting some if this stuff, Audiclean. Hopefully it will stop me getting the inferctions in the first place.

Cheers
Dan

[Gene_Hobbs]

In keeping with the theme of prevention, here are a few papers worth consideration:

DocVikingo's March/ April 2007 Alert Diver Article and older articles from the DAN site.

A Prophylactic Program for the Prevention of Otitis Externa in Saturation Divers.
Thalmann, 1974
RRR ID: 3372

and another on Otic Domeboro:
In vitro efficacy of Otic Domeboro against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Dibb, 1985
RRR ID: 3012

NOTE: The Otic Domeboro brand no longer available (in the US) as of 2000 but can also be made easily.

Also worth a read is paper on otitis media...
JAMA -- Wait-and-See Prescription for the Treatment of Acute Otitis Media: A Randomized Controlled Trial, September 13, 2006, Spiro et al. 296 (10): 1235
Abstract is on PubMed at:
Wait-and-see prescription for the treatment of acu...[JAMA. 2006] - PubMed Result

[Daz217]

Thanks Guys booked into El'quacko's tomorrow as there is no improvement in fact it's a wee bit on the sore side today. Hope i can shift it in time for my Farnes trip at the end of the month.