[quote=spaghetti]The truth about my ear problem? Yes, I am an "orecchione", or "ricchione" (translate this, Linda!).
ah!! i always wondered where that word came from!! you enlightened me!
but i didn't know you ricchioni had this issue with ear infections...i don't dare guessing what's the cause of that...
more seriously....
glassfish,
i had the same thing happening to me last year, for a whole 6 months. i got the first infection i thailand, treated with antibiotics and drops, and felt ok until i stayed dry. once back to the sea it came back again. i put drops and in 2 days it was gone, but came back again every time i went diving. took more antibiotics, and was good until i went diving again. and on and on like this for 6 months.
the thing is that the first infection was never cured properly, but wasn't painful during the times i didn't dive. at the end when i finally got to a good doctor he said he could see a very old infection and my ear canals were totally swollen and dry. he gave me very strong antibiotics and i had to stay dry for 2 weeks, but after that it was ok.
since then, for the first month i would put olive oil drops in my ears before diving (wax production stopped with the infection, and dry ear are very susceptible to new infections; olive oil is a good option to wax, being hydrorepellent).
now i always rinse my ear after diving with a 33% distilled water, 33% alcool 70%, and 33% vinegar. this is what the ear doctor suggested me and it's working ever since (and i dive with an average of 4 times a week...)
hope that helps.
linda
