Ear dryer - does it work?

[maytag]

Hi All,

Has anyone ever tried using: Sahara Dry Ear - Warm Air Ear Dryer ?

If so, did it help prevent sticky ear/ effusive ears/ swimmer's ear/ chronic ear infection?

Am still having lots of issues with the ear and worried about becoming hard of hearing.
Thanks for any input...

 

[spaghetti]

No I haven't tried that, but my advice is go to a doctor (a specialist) because most of divers' ear problems are complicated stuff and require surgery to be solved (this is at least my experience: scheduled for nose surgery in january). My doc said to stay away from "miracle products" which can give you nothing but a superficial relief, not a durable solution of your problem.
Take care.
Luv ya.

 

[Fondueset]

This may not be what you need but, because I dive often and in cold water, I use Doc's Pro Plugs. These are little earplugs with a hole in the middle to let water in. They keep the water from changing too much so it stays nice and warm. Helps with overall stress and the bone growth problem people who's ears are regularly exposed to cold water sometimes develop.
I used to use Swim-ear when I was a kid - to prevent outer ear infections, but I do not seem to have that problem any more.
For inner/middle ear, sinus prevention it is good to avoid too much water up your nose - and to snort salt water. I think there are some recipes for the proper mix here on DB.

 

[Adrian]

I used to get regular ear infections regularly from pools as a kid, until my doctor told me to use alcohol. THe alcohol is not for disinfection but as it evaporates very quickly it also takes the remaining water away as well. Just put a couple of drops of 76% - not the 90% proof phamacy alcohol into your ear, and as soon as you can hear or feel it reach the eardrum tilt you head to drain it away. Just a couple of seconds. You'll notice any excess water drain out as well, and it dires the ear upon evaporation. Some people add boric acid to saturation as a disinfectant. Since then, I've never suffered from any further problems.

 

[James Jay]

I have also suffered from ear infections most of my life. I stayed out of the water for many years partially because of this. Last spring a friend had finally convinced me to go spearfishing and guaranteed that I would not get an ear infection(yeah right). I agreed and not only was I introduced to the best sports in the world (Freediving and Spearfishing) but his solution worked. It is the same as Adrian has posted on. Isopropyl alcohol. I put a very small amount in the cap of the continer and put it in my ear. When I feel it go in my ear canal, I tip my head back down sideways to let it freely drain back out. No ear infections at all since I started this. Very inexpensive over the counter at the local drug store or any store for that matter.

 

[maytag]

Thanks, Guys, for your really helpful feedback.

Instead of dropping the alcohol direcly into the ear canal, would it work if I saturated a Q-Tip and then wiped the ear canal with the swab?

I used to try putting neosporin in the canal but I think I only made myself neosporin-resistant. My primary care doctor just tells me it'll resolves on its own, but it's been a few years and I'm starting to notice I don't hear as well.

Lately, just going up the elevator to the 33rd floor (where my apt is) bothers my ears -- I just got home and now my left ear is feeling stuffed and I can't "clear" them. It was fine before I got on the elevator. Do elevators bother you? Am I going crazy? I feel so embarrassed always asking people to repeat themselves when my ears flare up.

Thanks a lot for the alcohol tip - I am going to try that. I read about people using alcohol to try and save their cameras after flooding with water. It makes sense! Great idea.

Much appreciation and hope all's well. Take good care, Maytag

 

[James Jay]

Thanks, Guys, for your really helpful feedback.
Instead of dropping the alcohol direcly into the ear canal, would it work if I saturated a Q-Tip and then wiped the ear canal with the swab?

I had the same aprehension about putting the isopropyl alcohol directly into my ear. I watched my friend put it in his ear and seen first hand how he did it and lost all apprehension about it. I had thought about using a Q-tip before i seen him do it. Not sure how well it would work, not so good though I think. You wouldn't have very much of the alcohol mix with the h20 before tipping your head to drain it. I think this would lessen the evaporation effect that follows. Sorry to hear about your loss of hearing. May be a good idea to check with the Doc in case of other problems your having. Just a Thought.

 

[Adrian]

As James said, you wouldn't get to all the water that would be out of reach of the Q-Tip.

 

[maytag]

As James said, you wouldn't get to all the water that would be out of reach of the Q-Tip.

Thanks Adrian and James. I guess part of the interest in the Q-Tip is I'm wondering if the direct drip method is okay if the eardrum is slightly perforated?

I only had alcohol pads at home so I swabbed the outercanal as I couldn't wait to try it and I figured it'd be better than nothing. I have to say, apart from the initial sting, they are a bit less itchy and I think there is less stuff stuff coming out. Sorry to be gross. Somewhere back I read about people using olive oil, too, but it would just seem to leave a gooey mess in your ear... So far I like the alcohol better than the hydrocortisone and neosporin.

Thank a ton. Greets from Toronto, BTW. When I get home, I'm going to get a bottle of alcohol :friday (not the kind to drink LOL) Many many thanks.

 

[Freediver81]

I use an aid called swimear which is mostly alcohol and which evaporates water in your ear. It is quite effective in drying the ear and by that it prevents infections.

Said

 

[bdurrett]

Hi All,

Has anyone ever tried using: Sahara Dry Ear - Warm Air Ear Dryer ?

If so, did it help prevent sticky ear/ effusive ears/ swimmer's ear/ chronic ear infection?

Am still having lots of issues with the ear and worried about becoming hard of hearing.
Thanks for any input...

Well, as someone who has now (last month) been diagnised as having a 20db High frequency loss in both ears (although not caused by diving ) I can say that, what I used to prevent infections and such was a "home brew" that I had done up at my local pharmacy - 70% Isopropyl, 20% acetic acid (yep - aka vinegar but the sterile version), 2% glycerin, and the rest was sterile water. A few drops into each ear after diving and then let it run out. The alcohol carries the remaining water out with it and helps to dry the ear, the acetic acid helps to make the ear environment very unfriendly to any kind of critters of the plankton and smaller variety, and the glycerin helps keep the ear canal from drying out totally which can open the path for an infection (Pure isopropyl tends to dry things out too much according to my doctor)

Worked like a charm and didn't cost nearly as much as the prepackaged stuff... and it didn't have ingredients that I couldn't pronounce as "preservatives"

 

[Fondueset]

These things are all for outer ear infections. Maytag, it sounds like you've got something else going on with your elevator problem etc. Outer ear infections are infections of the ear outside the ear drum. Middle ear infections affect the area behind the eardrum and are not prevented or healed by putting anything in the outer ear. I think you're starting point would be a very precise diagnosis of what exactly is going on.

 

[deep thinker]

I heard that using a q-tip could make your problems worse by leaving small fibers behind. These fibers in turn act as a magnet for any moisture and causes a buildup that creates the perfect environment for bacteria and other badies in the ears to grow and multiply.
Dont know if you read it but heres an article on the whole ear thing Keeping It Clean by Divers Alert Network on DeeperBlue.net - Fanatical About FreeDiving, Scuba Diving, Spearfishing & Technical Diving.
Bdurrets solution sounds pretty good but Id go see a doc to find out what exactly is wrong with my ears if I was you first, what with the punctured eardrum and stuff coming out and all that

 

[maytag]

Bdurrett, Fonduset and DeepThinker,

Thanks. Thanks for the link to the article - I can't believe the bit about bugs. Yuck. A little boy made national news when a doctor pulled out a spider from his ear. Apparently, the bug had been living in his ear for some time, eating the ear wax.

Several days ago, I tried wringing a few drops of alcohol from a swabs and into my ear. It went down like a FLAMING BULLET.

Adding vinegar to change the pH sounds like a good idea.

I think I need to find another doctor and see what is going on. The last two just looked inside and asked me if my ears itch, and then just told me some hydrocortisone can help with the itching.

Thanks for the tips! Hope all's well,

 

[Rockbrother]

I also had lots of problems with outer ear infections due to my narrow ear canal. The water did not get out properly. My doctor prescribed 2% ascetic acid, which like the others said helps drain the water and kill any bacteria. I like the sound of bdurrett's concoction, as you do not want to get rid of all the wax in your ears and dry them out completely.

Recently I have found something call "Swimseal". But this you put in before you go into the water. I am sure it works in the same way as ascetic acid, by creating a hydrophobic layer in your ear canal.

On another note: A body boarder friend of mine was going deaf in his 1 ear. When he went to the doctor they found a lot of sand in his ears from surfing on the beach breaks. He had to go for an ear operation to get it out.

I would also suggest that you go and see an Ear nose and throat specialist.