Hi again Forum Readers,
I could use some more advice. When I was a junior in high school I got swimmers ear and eat infections in both ears (so all four ear canals were infected at once) and even though I got over the infections my ears still get inflamed from chlorinated pool water. I've tried a couple brands of the tacky ear plugs but they never seem to last more than one workout. Does anyone have any suggestions for ear plugs to try or a place to get custom ear plugs?
not custom, but Mack's silicone work very well for me. Wear them every practice. You can get a pack of 8 or so at the drugstore. Also work well for MRIs and with snoring around you at night
Had ear problems throughout the 8 years of swimming ive done with many trips to the doctor for antibiotics. Recently (june) I decided to not use ear plugs and my ear infections and irritation vanished. I just ignore the water then after swimming I dry them out with a homemade solution (ethanol, vinegar, glycerin)
I dry them out with a homemade solution (ethanol, vinegar, glycerin)
A simple 50/50 of rubbing alcohol (70% isopropanol) and household white vinegar (5% acetic acid) works fine. I put a few drops in each ear after every swim, pull my ear out to make sure the drops go all the way into my ear canal, and then turn my head to the other side to let the ear empty. I also had several very painful swimmers' ear episodes when I was a kid and teen but no more since I started using drops every swim 35+ years ago.
When I'm traveling, BTW, I stash a few first aid alcohol prep pads in my bag. You can squeeze enough alcohol out of one to clear out an ear and they don't leak all over the rest of your stuff in airplane low pressure.
I use the Mack's silicone ear plugs to swim in cold water. As far as I can tell the plugs themselves would last forever, but I do replace them from time to time because they get sort of gross from sand and sea water and ear wax.
+1 on Mack's.
I have been wearing them since I was 8 years old and they leak the least. I've tried the custom-fit plugs, and every type of silicone earplug out there but Macks has always been there for me.
