I stopped swimming a few years ago because of ear problems, but want to start again. Before stopping, I was told (by various ear doctors and other swimmers) to try putting such things as olive oil in my ears before a swim, or vinegar or hydrogen peroxide in my ears afterwards. None of those things worked. In college, some friends of mine used a few drops of alcohol after swims, but a doctor told me that this really dries out the skin. I tried plugs, but they either irritated my ears or pushed the wax deeper into my ear, compacting it. HELP! I've gotta get back in the water, but don't want the ear problems.... Any ideas or advice? Any ear docs who swim out there?
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Originally posted by badkid
... I tried plugs, but they either irritated my ears or pushed the wax deeper into my ear, compacting it. HELP! I've gotta get back in the water, but don't want the ear problems.... Any ideas or advice? Any ear docs who swim out there?
Hey Badkid!
I tried several kinds of plugs, too. You might try the plugs made out of silicone which seems to hold their shape better, thus not as prone to lodging themselves into the ear canal. However, the use of Auro-Dri or the homemade version is what's really important. The alcohol dries out the water in the inner ear where the earaches occur and sterilizes the area. Be sure to do this right after getting out of the pool. Now that I do this religiously, I really rarely use plugs unless I suspect another earache. Nothing's worse than one than having two at the same time.
Originally posted by badkid
... I tried plugs, but they either irritated my ears or pushed the wax deeper into my ear, compacting it. HELP! I've gotta get back in the water, but don't want the ear problems.... Any ideas or advice? Any ear docs who swim out there?
Hey Badkid!
I tried several kinds of plugs, too. You might try the plugs made out of silicone which seems to hold their shape better, thus not as prone to lodging themselves into the ear canal. However, the use of Auro-Dri or the homemade version is what's really important. The alcohol dries out the water in the inner ear where the earaches occur and sterilizes the area. Be sure to do this right after getting out of the pool. Now that I do this religiously, I really rarely use plugs unless I suspect another earache. Nothing's worse than one than having two at the same time.
