Ear infection - very swollen :(

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Ear infection - very swollen :(

Postby ConcreteVitamin » Mon Apr 08, 2019 5:42 pm

Does anybody have experience with this?

Still seeking treatment. How can I best prevent this from happening again? I'll admit I don't have the best record of wearing earplugs, since the pairs I used in the past easily broke or got lost. Just ordered something fancier with a hopefully stronger leash...
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Re: Ear infection - very swollen :(

Postby jaffa1949 » Mon Apr 08, 2019 6:35 pm

Seek proper medical,help, the infection may require aural,antibiotics, but that can only be determined by a doctor.
Risk of loss of hearing, also recurrent ear infections and cold water may lead to boney growths in the ear canal and future draining problems. That can cause recurring ear infections.
Plugs recommended and using them too!
Much cheaper than hearing aids which can be needed if care is not taken, thousands of dollars for effective pairs.!
Eck you’re young, treat your body well for long term usage! :D
I've taken up troll hunting just for fun, instead of a rifle I'll just use a pun! 冲浪爷爷
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Re: Ear infection - very swollen :(

Postby tomthetreeman » Mon Apr 08, 2019 7:35 pm

Make ABSOLUTELY SURE that it is properly diagnosed (go to an ENT specialist). My wife had a fungal infection that led to surgery for a ruptured eardrum because they were having her rinse (misdiagnosis).
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Re: Ear infection - very swollen :(

Postby surferbee » Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:52 pm

I completely agree with Jaffa and Tom. I waited with an ear infection and totally regretted it. Luckily, it didn't cause any permanent damage. It just meant that I was in excruciating pain for a night - felt like something gnawing inside my skull. Really awful. But the antibiotics I got the next morning started working right away.

I also wear earplugs now. I've tried several different brands, so maybe my recommendation will help, but of course everyone's ears are different. FWIW, I thought Doc's proplugs were pretty good but expensive, and it sucks when you lose them (you WILL lose them at some point). The ones that work best for me, personally, are the TYR silcone plugs: https://www.swimoutlet.com/p/tyr-silicone-molded-ear-plugs-24174/?&color=210&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google-shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5JKFlqzB4QIVsyCtBh3PIggoEAQYASABEgItwvD_BwE They're good AND cheap. I ordered 8 pairs a few years ago and I think I'm down to 4 or 5 pairs now. I keep a pair in the car, a pair in my travel bag, and the rest in surf bag. That way I don't have to stress like I did with my one pair of Doc's that would inevitably get misplaced or forgotten. I do have to trim the top flap to fit better, though.

Another product that I really like for surfing, swimming, diving, etc. is this stuff: https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/swim-ear-ear-water-drying-aid-drops/ID=prod1575-product Easy to use, works fast, lasts forever.

Happy healing!
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Re: Ear infection - very swollen :(

Postby billie_morini » Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:14 am

Good info from surferbee, Tom, and Jaffa. Especially like surferbee's recommendation for ear plugs. I liked Doc's brand, by they never stay in. The blue ones that surferbee mentions look like they will. surferbee also mentions swimmer's ear drying drops. I like and use this, too.

Now a word from one of our resident geochemists: the swimmer's ear drying drops are predominantly isopropyl alcohol (commonly called isopropanol or 2-propanol). The chemical formula is CH3CHOHCH3 (e.g., hydrogen and carbon atoms). An important minor ingredient is i Glycerol (commonly called glycerine or glycerin). The chemical formula is C3H8O3 (far fewer hydrogen and carbon atoms). It’s included in the drying drops to soothe and lubricate the skin contacted by the isopropyl alcohol. You can use straight alcohol every now and then, but it is tough on the delicate skin in your ears.

How does isopropyl alcohol work to dry your ears? Remember, the chemical formula for water is H2O. Like water, isopropyl alcohol is a polar molecule. Polar molecules possess slight chemo-electronic charges. But, isopropyl alcohol possesses hydroxyl groups (See the “3” in the formula above). The hydroxyl group charges are strong enough that they can form hydrogen bonds with the water molecules. When it does (and always does), the water molecule dissolves because it lost its hydrogen. A simple way to describe what happens is to say, “The alcohol dissolves the water.”

Some of you live in cold climates where water condenses inside your automobile gas tank. Or, you may simply purchase gasoline from a tank containing water. Some of you may be familiar with fuel line antifreeze or “dry gas” like in the photo below. Guess what? It’s predominantly alcohol that absorbs the water molecules. So, you can even use this to dry your ears! (BIG smile)
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Re: Ear infection - very swollen :(

Postby ConcreteVitamin » Sun Apr 21, 2019 3:05 am

Thanks everyone. Finally cleared the symptoms on day 13 or so. ENT doc said wait for 1-2 more weeks to get back to the waters.

I cannot second Tom more. I was on primary care / urgent care for the first week and symptoms did not improve at all even with all the drops and medicine. It was a painful week. Lucky to have booked an ENT on day 7. Quickly cleaned my ear and assigned different meds. Turned out I had severe allergic reaction so changed meds accordingly. All in all, needed only 4 days to clear the symptoms!

Next time I have an ear infection I won't ever waste a day on primary care 8)

Oddly enough, my ENT said don't use any of the drying aid/drop. I didn't get a chance to ask why he thinks so. He only recommends hairdryer.
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Re: Ear infection - very swollen :(

Postby ConcreteVitamin » Sun Apr 21, 2019 3:07 am

Better yet, shortly after I got out of my last ENT visit, the shop called me to pick up my new board :lol: :lol:
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Re: Ear infection - very swollen :(

Postby billie_morini » Sun Apr 21, 2019 3:59 am

"Oddly enough, my ENT said don't use any of the drying aid/drop. I didn't get a chance to ask why he thinks so. He only recommends hairdryer."

Wouldn't this be an 'ear dryer' then?

A practice used in the old days to clear Eustachian tubes and ears used by Otolaryngologists (ear, nose, & throat doctors) involves patient drinking glass of water while ENT punctures ear drum to apply vacuum while patient swallows. Some of the water drunk by patient is pulled through Eustachian tubes & ear. This clears the entire ear. It only hurts a little bit and provides a very weird sensation + tremendous relief. This procedure was done on me about 5 times in my late teens. For some reason never determined, my Eustachian tubes and ears were blocking up. The doctor that used this procedure on me operated on my ears when I was a very small child and is responsible for me having superb hearing throughout my life. So, when he said we were going to do this seemingly strange procedure about 16 years later, I did not have any reservations.

I do not know if this procedure is used in our modern times. I do not hesitate to reach for Guaifenesin to drain ears. Similarly, I reach for Sudafed to drain/dry sinuses. (Easier said than done due to US regulations)
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