I have a chronically blocked Eustachian tube that causes fluid build-up in my middle ear. Finally had a tube put in but I'm to avoid getting water to the ear drum -- if possible. I have a custom-made ear plug that works in the shower but not in the pool. Water gets past it. I have a neoprene headband that helps but water still gets past it. And when it does my middle ear reacts and fills w/ fluid. You'd think that w/ all the swimming kids w/ tubes in their ears, somebody would have come up w/ a reliable way to keep water out. So Q: Recommendations for the best way to keep water out of ear canal and away from ear drum.
Former Member
For some reason I tend to get blockage in my left eustachian tube. Somehow or something in my stroke seems to force water into my left ear.
I deal with it by using "ear puddy". It's just a ball of waxy silicone. You can get it in swimming catalogues, but it's far cheaper if you just go to walgreens and get the same stuff in the sleep aid section packaged as noise reduction plugs. The last package I bought was like $3.99, and it has lasted me for well over a year (and I have only used half the contents so far.)
You can keep reusing a ball of the stuff until it stops sticking to your ear. (You know it stops sticking when you start getting water in your ear.) You just take a ball of the stuff, shape it into a little cone, and shove it in the outer portion of your ear canal. Only a little of it actually goes in the hole. The rest you just smash over the opening of your ear to make a tight seal.
It works for me, anyway.
Former Member
See the Swim Cap Guide, ear plugs by themselves can be unreliable for keeping water out of ears because if they leak it may not be noticed because of the pressure feeling of a plug in the ear. ,those neopreme head bands are useless in my opinion a gimmick to make money... they just don't fit snug.. thats all there is to it they are supposed to 'hold in the ear plugs" If thats all you need make a "swim band" from a black swim cap, if a swim cap leaks water enters slowly and can be felt allowing the swimmer to lift the cap and drain the water before it fills the ear. swim caps can keep water out of ears and hair dry for most swimmers but they must be snug fitting . Look on the page for the green bubble cap with the swim band under it.. thats a really watertight combination with ear plugs, you will see the link for creating a "swim band" too, a swim band is basicly a cap cut off to make a head band easy ,cheap and it works.
www.geocities.com/.../scg.html
