50% alcohol and 50% vinegar to clean ears after swimming?

[Hasbeen]

I spent a lot of time in the tropics. In Rabaul, in the northern part of New Guinea many people suffered from what was called tropical ear, a painful infection of the ear.


It was not just swimmers, but everyone. A little salt from swimming, or soap/shampoo from showering was the cause. In the high humidity either would absorb water & keep the ear wet.


The standard treatment was half a dozen or so drops of methylated spirits, [alcohol] from an eye dropper in each ear after a swim, or shower, allowed to run out after a minute or so would remove any water & contaminates.

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by wolfgal

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!

Ummm, no. You have three ear compartments. External ear (between ear drum and external world), Middle ear (between eardrum and the eustachion tube, which is a drain/ventilator for the middle ear) and Inner ear (the fluid-filled compartments inside of your cochlea {hearing} and semicircular canals {balance}).

Most posters in this thread are confusing or not distinguishing between external ear infections (otitis externa), commonly known as swimmer's ear, and middle ear infections (otitis media) commonly known as ear ache. Otitis externa is a bacterial infection of the external canal, commonly caused by chronic wetness which can be prevented by ear drying. The head tilting, etc. cited by a few posters can work, as can agents like alcohol, vinegar by either facilitating drying or making the environment hostile to establishing an infection. These agents are a TERRIBLE idea if the otitis externa infection is established (they won't work well and they hurt like crazy). You need ear drops, usually with an antibiotic (kills bacteria) and steroid (reduces inflammation). Be very careful with either the alcohol, vinegar, or antibiotic/steroid ear drops if you have a perforated ear drum - can be really problematic.
Otitis media (middle ear infection) can be caused by bacteria migrating from your pharynx into the middle ear - often provoked by pressure normalization or equalization - something divers do a lot. If you have bacterial otitis media you typically need oral antibiotics - not ear drops.
An inner ear infection (also known as labyrinthitis) is rarely part of what is being talked about in this thread. It can be very serious as it can cause serious vertigo and even be associated with a central nervous system infection. Serious, often requiring specialized care.

We don't call a sheet a rope - terminology is essential in medicine and in sailing.

[Normanskier]

Years ago I had recurring ear aches due to infection caused by water in my ears after swimming. After trying too many antibiotics I went to a ENT doc. He cleaned my ears and prescribed something that had a familiar odor.
The Doc told me if I’m away on vacation and go swimming to put a couple of drops of vinegar and water in each ear. The purpose of the vinegar, aka acidic acid which alters the ph in your ear canal which is not conducive to the growth of bacteria. Magic.
Can’t hurt. Give it a try.

[nipsip]

Never used the mixture but always use 100% 91% alcohol after being in the water. Not only does alcohol dry out the ear, it kills all bacteria that may be in the ear. Believe me I have had numerous cases of otitis externa (swimmer's ear) until I started using alcohol after being in the water. Not one case of swimmer's ear since. Hey just my experience.

[tomtriad]

I've had chronic problems with otitis externa since I was a kid. I do a lot of salt water swimming and diving when cruising. I flush my ears with fresh water immediately after every swim/dive, then drain well. When I get back to the boat I flush with witch hazel (mild 14% alcohol), drain and dry thoroughly. The important thing is to get all salt out of the canal so that it can't reabsorb water from the air; the bugs can grow only in a moist environment. Never tried vinegar - I've got a sensitive sniffer and the smell would get to me. I do carry antibiotic eardrops for otitis that contain some cortizone just in case I get a flare up, but use them only them as a cure, never as a preventative measure.

[SuW]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

...

For some reason some time after I started cave diving I began to get swimmers ear often, and buddy let me tell you that hurts big time.
I don’t understand why, cause I dove only Springs, with Crystal pure water.
...

It can be an infection from your own skin, that moves into the ear. This can be true of UTIs as well. We're all filthy animals, really

[Churruscat]

Originally Posted by Cpt Balu

Hi guys,
One of the blue water guides I was recently reading said one rule should be to clean your ears with 50% alcohol and 50% vinegar after each swim?
You guys have experiences? Seems a bit over carful to me but happy for Tipps.

Try with boric alcohol. I was a competition swimmer and it was the standard prevention medicine for otitis. It is mild antibiotic, very effective and no side effects.
Another advice, never trust macho-men that don't need any kind of medicines, probably they have not been exposed to a true aggressive environment.

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by Normanskier

Years ago I had recurring ear aches due to infection caused by water in my ears after swimming. After trying too many antibiotics I went to a ENT doc. He cleaned my ears and prescribed something that had a familiar odor.
The Doc told me if I’m away on vacation and go swimming to put a couple of drops of vinegar and water in each ear. The purpose of the vinegar, aka acidic acid which alters the ph in your ear canal which is not conducive to the growth of bacteria. Magic.
Can’t hurt. Give it a try.

There is a corollary to Murphy's Law in medicine - if someone says "It can't hurt - give it a try" the patient will have a complication.
But seriously, it can hurt if you have a perforated ear drum (which is not that rare in people who snorkel or dive).

[SV MAKAI]

I have surfers ear, nearly completely closed on both sides. When water get's behind the obstruction surface tension prevents me from shaking it out. I use 100% alcohol (1 cap full) poured directly in to each ear. It breaks the surface tension so I can get the water out, and simultaneously disinfects and dry's the ear.

[pufferfish]

Originally Posted by wolfgal

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!

I am a medical doctor (emergency physician and general practice). Nothing you pour into you external ear canal will affect you middle ear, let alone inner ear, unless your ear drum is perforated.

Swimmer's ear drops are a tried and proven solution for preventing infections of the external ear canal. I recommend them to people prone to swimmer's ears.

[flyingfin]

Originally Posted by StuM

Is that 50% of pure ethyl alcohol?

I mix grain alcohol with vinegar and use it both Before and After free diving. Many nutrients, algae and bacteria in ocean water. An ear infection can ruin your cruise.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by SuW

It can be an infection from your own skin, that moves into the ear. This can be true of UTIs as well. We're all filthy animals, really

Diving dry, most everyone wears a condom catheter connected to a tube to the outside of the suit. Your underwater for a couple of hours, most normal humans have to pee.
The “ear beer” is good to flush this tube out too, cause apparently if you don’t keep that tube clean you can get a UTI from it.
I’ve never had one, it’s something I don’t think I need to experience.

[ibsurfun]

For me personally, I would use the vinegar in my salad dressing then wash it down with my favorite alcohol. for my ears, I would use hydrogen peroxide I after 50 years of surfing they can get a little waxy and this always clean's out my ears. As for every swim, I only do it if needed.

[Randall M]

The solution we used when scuba diving was 25% each Alcohol, White vinegar, Iodine, and Hydrogen peroxide.

[dkenny64]

interesting..
what about using essential oils? many are anti-fugal, anti-bacterial...
mix on alcohol or witch hazel..


just wondering...not mentioned yet?? or did I miss it??



-dkenny64