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Old 08-25-2020, 05:33 PM   #28
Diver1111
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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Default This might help stop ear infections

As a diver I've learned a few things about ears. One is that if you dive often enough you'll probably get an ear infection.

Beside hurting like hell sometimes, you risk collateral damage health-wise if it takes off such as permanent loss of hearing and other bad things.

While I can't protect myself from bad water other than avoiding it, a 50/50 blend of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol is a dirt cheap and very effective way to head off ear infections. No guarantees of course but it sure works for me.

The vinegar, being acidic, kills bacteria and the alcohol displaces water in the ear canal. I use white vinegar to clean bottles I find diving because it's mildly acidic.

Make yourself a very small batch of 50/50 blend of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar.

All you need is a small 2 or 3 oz. bottle with a tip on it so you can tilt your head and put 2-4 drops in and getting it into the ear canal. You'll know it's in the canal because it will make an odd sound as it plugs it up and actually feels plugged up which is what you want-all the way to the tympanic membrane-the ear drum. The plugged up feeling won't last long.

You can also buy this solution at alot of dive shops and very likely at CVS etc.. Sometimes it's called "auro-dri" or similar name. Basically they market it for "swimmer's ear".

Water stuck in the ear canal is a petrie dish waiting to take off. Bad water only magnifies the odds of getting an infection.
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