I basically started seriously swimming this past May at 51 y/o.....I swam five 5k's and a 10k this summer and finally hooked up with a master team to start figuring out how to really learn how to swim and learn the strokes.
Anyway, I need to swim with ear plugs, just no way around it, I've tried without and always end up with swimmers ear or an actual ear infection. I've tried jumping from the blocks, and I can't do it without losing my ear plugs.
I've been told that masters do not have to start from the blocks, but at my first meet this upcoming Sunday in Munster, IN, who do I inform that I want to start in the pool, or do I even have to? I'm trying a 500 and 1650, starting from the blocks is probably more important for the 500 than the 1650.
Any advice would be very helpful
Thanks
I agree with flystorms - try one of the over the counter ear drying fluids. You can also make you own by combining 50% rubbing alcohol and 50% vinegar and using an eye dropper to put a few drops in your ears after you swim. The rubbing alcohol dries the ear and the vinegar's pH helps control microbe development.
Also, when you're ears get wet frequently from swimming, they tend to retain "wax" because it doesn't dry and fall out naturally. If you have narrow ear canals it builds up more easily. When I was a kid my mom used OTC hydrogen peroxide to get the ear wax to loosen and float up. You have to keep the peroxide in your ear for a few minutes (lots of bubbling and fizzing) and then dump it out - about once per week. It worked well, but I think in an adult the drying solutions are all that will be needed, and you might want to check before using peroxide in your ear. The peroxide breaks down to water, so in a sense you are adding water, which seems counterintuitive. There may be better solutions to remove wax, if that is a problem.
I agree with flystorms - try one of the over the counter ear drying fluids. You can also make you own by combining 50% rubbing alcohol and 50% vinegar and using an eye dropper to put a few drops in your ears after you swim. The rubbing alcohol dries the ear and the vinegar's pH helps control microbe development.
Also, when you're ears get wet frequently from swimming, they tend to retain "wax" because it doesn't dry and fall out naturally. If you have narrow ear canals it builds up more easily. When I was a kid my mom used OTC hydrogen peroxide to get the ear wax to loosen and float up. You have to keep the peroxide in your ear for a few minutes (lots of bubbling and fizzing) and then dump it out - about once per week. It worked well, but I think in an adult the drying solutions are all that will be needed, and you might want to check before using peroxide in your ear. The peroxide breaks down to water, so in a sense you are adding water, which seems counterintuitive. There may be better solutions to remove wax, if that is a problem.
