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19-02-2019, 17:36
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#16
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
Peacock is nasty, I’ve dove it a couple of times but likely never again.
Yes the Fl Springs are dyeing or dead, I don’t blame the bottle water companies, if anything it’s agricultural irrigation wells I believe and just population.
If you want to help, these guys do a good job
https://northfloridaspringsalliance.org/index.html
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19-02-2019, 18:27
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#17
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: NY
Boat: 39' Whitesell Ketch
Posts: 71
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
When I read the thread title I thought it was cleaning up uncured epoxy!
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19-02-2019, 18:39
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#18
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Indianapolis
Boat: MacGregor 26
Posts: 263
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
Vinegar can treat swimmer’s ear but 70% alcohol a few drops after swimming probably all you need to prevent it
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20-02-2019, 08:33
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#19
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Cruising Mexico
Boat: Norseman 400
Posts: 434
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
It will also help flush out any living organisms that may have entered your ear canal during the swim or dive.
https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/m..._Aural_Hygiene
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20-02-2019, 08:54
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#20
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NC
Boat: Bristol 47.7 1985
Posts: 66
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
I think Larry Pardey recommended due to some infections. i have used the 50/50 mix for 10 years for three swims per week. May be a sugar pill but i have not had an ear infection from pools, salt or brackish water since. White vinegar and rubbing alcohol.
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20-02-2019, 09:06
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#21
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2015
Boat: been sitting it out
Posts: 821
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
as i have a very sensitive ear, I asked a professional that same question, and the answer was, No!!!!!!!
He said that he has seen more inner ear damage from people that have put vinegar (etc) in the ear than from anything else.
It is one opinion, only one, but if you could have seen his face!
__________________
“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
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20-02-2019, 09:29
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#22
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Caribbean, California, S.E.Asia
Boat: Seawind 1600 52'
Posts: 69
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
OK, As a surfer, diver, sailor (anything in, on or under the sea) the one thing that I did not see mention is exostosis, or "Surfers ear" caused by repeated exposure to cold water in the ear. This partically blocks the canal and increases the presence of wax. Water (and whatever is in it) is more likely to remain longer. I clean out my ears about 1x a year. I put Hydrogen Peroxide in for about 5 mineutes then followed by a flush of warm water. If I don't, ear infections happen. I like the vinegar idea mentioned when in questionable waters. -S
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20-02-2019, 09:39
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#23
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Abaco, Bahamas/ Western NC
Boat: Nothing large at the moment
Posts: 1,037
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
Good grief, a bunch of sailors and no one mentioned using rhum!
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20-02-2019, 10:03
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#24
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Portsmouth, UK
Boat: Westerly Conway 36ft
Posts: 961
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
Swimmers ear - I used to get this a lot. Years ago my doctor referred me to a specialist who passed me on to a lady who made custom made earplugs for me & I have had no problems since then.
She poured some kind of hot (not burning) plastic foam mix into each ear - obviously one at a time!. When it cooled it set & made flexible earplugs which fitted exactly into each ear. I always put them on when swimming and have had no recurrence of the problem since. The earplugs basically keep the inside of the ear dry.
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20-02-2019, 10:36
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#25
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Currently cruising in SE Asia
Boat: Catana 47 hull no 1 ex Leopard 40 (2009) & Crownline 250CR
Posts: 383
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
Commercial “swimmers ear” is acetic acid and alcohol. This essentially is Vinagre and alcohol. I used to run a dive school and was very involved in underwater and hyperbaric therapy and this simple solution works for “ otitis externa” which is essentially outer ear infections. These infections are caused by bacteria in the water, some sea waters are worse than others. Another factor creating conditions for infections is the ph level in the cannel. The Vinagre or acetic acid keeps the channels ph regulated. People that spend a lot of time in the water also tend to get growths in their channels that prevent water from naturally running out of their ears creating a higher risk of infections.
As long as you don’t have any major ear issues using Vinagre mixed with alcohol is a great solution but it’s 75% alcohol and 25% Vinagre. (By volume)
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20-02-2019, 10:47
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#26
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: PNW
Boat: J/42
Posts: 938
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
I've really never bothered with any solution before - my ears always seemed to drain pretty well on their own. Except one incident about five years ago when it turned out that I had excess wax buildup. After the first dive to 20 feet or so, my ear wouldn't drain right all week. Had them cleaned out at the doctors office. They softened the wax with mineral oil, then flushed with a syringe of warm saline. The amount of gross stuff that came out was truly mind-boggling.
No clue what caused the build-up in the first place. Maybe not swimming enough?
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20-02-2019, 11:10
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#27
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Fort Pierce FL
Posts: 322
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
If you're always in salt water, you shouldn't need it.
Otherwise, I just squirt alcohol in, drain it out, and dry my ears.
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20-02-2019, 11:15
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#28
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Hawaii
Boat: Jeanneau SO DS 49
Posts: 356
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
As a lifelong surfer /diver/ kiter, I've had a hundred ear infections and 2 surfers ear surgeries. Ear infections start because of a buildup of wax and dirt in the ear canal.
This warm moist place is a perfect storm to breed bacteria which can infect the skin .
My doctors always looked inside, flushed it with warm water, showed me the blob of goo and told me to flush occasionally. Get wax removal drops, an ear syringe and watch a you tube of how to. After my surgery to remove calcium deposits caused by daily surfing, etc. My ears don't build up wax much. Swimmers ear drops adds a precaution but I don't use them and haven't had an ear infection in 10 years.
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20-02-2019, 11:35
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#29
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Clivevon
Swimmers ear - I used to get this a lot. Years ago my doctor referred me to a specialist who passed me on to a lady who made custom made earplugs for me & I have had no problems since then.
She poured some kind of hot (not burning) plastic foam mix into each ear - obviously one at a time!. When it cooled it set & made flexible earplugs which fitted exactly into each ear. I always put them on when swimming and have had no recurrence of the problem since. The earplugs basically keep the inside of the ear dry.
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I had a pair of ear plugs made for flying, they had holes in them that were “tuned” to block al but speech frequencies, musicians apparently have similar ones made too.
When I first started cave diving I wore them, cause for some reason the cold water in my ears made me nauseous, Sea sickness feeling and you know that’s not fun, but the plugs blocked the cold water and the holes let them equalize pressure I guess cause I never had an issue with that.
I guess I eventually got used to it cause I quit wearing them after awhile
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20-02-2019, 12:32
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#30
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Canada
Boat: T37
Posts: 2,336
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Re: 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tingum
Good grief, a bunch of sailors and no one mentioned using rhum!
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And waste good Rum??? Oh unless it has the same side effects...?
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