Northwest Dive Club

Ok I know it's been talked about before.

You equalize a little late, next day you have slosh ear (Or whatever it's called) ], it's been awhile since it happened, last time I just waited it out.

Any voodoo remedies out there? ](*,)

mattwave wrote:Ok I know it's been talked about before.

You equalize a little late, next day you have slosh ear (Or whatever it's called) ], it's been awhile since it happened, last time I just waited it out.

Any voodoo remedies out there? ](*,)

I heard that if you sell drysuits and scooters to your friends for half price, it'll clear right up.

I had the slosh- ear really bad when I was learning to dive- I tried all kinds of stuff, and none of it worked. Sorry, dude, waiting it out was the only thing that worked for me.

I read something about a 50/50 mix of vinegar and vodka, but I don't remember the details. I know it was a specific type of vinegar... ](*,) I'll look and see if I can find it....

A 50-50 mix of vodka and orange juice helps a lot of things, though not when put in the ear...

(Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Seriously, I use a 50/50 vinegar rubbing alcohol mix. If I get what your talking about (from getting behind on equalizing) I find that using that stuff a few times after diving clears things out,

Lynne explained it to me, what happens is you get a bit of edema in your ear canal because of the pressure differential, and the "slosh" is fluid coming out of your tissue cells. It will clear up in a couple days, the 50/50 mix seems to help.

Isn't the 'slosh' caused by fluid on the interior side of the eardrum? I don't think anything poured into the ear is going to have an impact on that. ...Unless fluid can pass from the eardrum interior to the exterior by osmosis. Alcohol/peroxide/vinegar are typically treatments for swimmers ear - an infection of the ear canal on the exterior side of the drum. I'm open minded though and want to hear all sides of this. Hopefully our resident medical expert will chime in and give us some education.

-Ben

airsix wrote:Isn't the 'slosh' caused by fluid on the interior side of the eardrum? I don't think anything poured into the ear is going to have an impact on that. ...Unless fluid can pass from the eardrum interior to the exterior by osmosis. Alcohol/peroxide/vinegar are typically treatments for swimmers ear - an infection of the ear canal on the exterior side of the drum. I'm open minded though and want to hear all sides of this. Hopefully our resident medical expert will chime in and give us some education.

-Ben

Yes, but all I know is that it clears things up-perhaps there is a bit on both sides, perhaps it is a purely placebo thing, perhaps it would clear up on its own.

Matt shoulda cleared his ears early and often anyways . . .

On the serious side, I just use a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol. The alcohol evaporates a lot faster than the water that's in the ear, and takes the water with it. At least that's what my favorite nurse, a.k.a. my wife, tells me.

I just dealt with this for the last month. The whole time I was in Catalina It drove me nuts. Then when I got home I had a 2 pool sessions on back to back nights. After Friday night I was sloshing on Sat night I was really bad.

Sunday, I was getting pissed. Did a little research, and found all the usual, Use the Alc/whatever mix but not too often, or it will cause an imbalance and maybe and infection, etc, etc.

I started suspecting wax buildup but since I keep my ears really clean (or so I thought) I wasn't sure. The wife was going to the store so I asked her to pick something up for me. Expecting an ear wax removal kit. She returned with Swimmers Ear. It's supposed to dry the ear basically its the Alcohol mixture. Tried it - nothing. Still miserable.

Went out that night and got a wax removal kit. It's a type of Peroxide that you put a few drops in and let it sit. Your supposed to do this a couple times a day for about 4 days then if you aren't clear, use the bulb syringe to hose out any leftovers. I couldn't wait, I used the drops for about 10 minutes each side then had the wife hose me out. HOLY CRAP! you cannot believe what came pouring out of my ears that I thought were spotless! And Instant relief, Slosh ear was gone and after another pool session Friday, 4 dives yesterday and probably 4 more today, I'm clear!

Dave

50/50 alcohol vinegar is my first go-to for ear troubles, then time and an email to LCF or Zen Diver for further instructions.

...oh yeah, I also know that selling x scooters to friends at cost is a full-proof way to fix your ears. Heck, it'll cure cancer!! Trouble is, I'm not an x-dealer so I have to do it the old fashioned way. ...but, if you ever need a friend, I'm there for ya!

Matt I have used the ear beer 50/50 solution for what you have described with pretty good success. It was the only thing that seemed to bring me any relief when I blew out my ear in Costa Rica.

mattwave wrote:
Any voodoo remedies out there? ](*,)

Have your Buddy Pee on it, It's supposed to reduce the stinging.......And you won't hear everyone laughing at you! Then, to get them to refrain from repeating the story, Sell them X scooters and Dry suits at Half price. Trust me, it will be like it never happened.

Pez7378 wrote:

mattwave wrote:
Any voodoo remedies out there? ](*,)

Have your Buddy Pee on it, It's supposed to reduce the stinging.......And you won't hear everyone laughing at you! Then, to get them to refrain from repeating the story, Sell them X scooters and Dry suits at Half price. Trust me, it will be like it never happened.

Aren't you glad you've got buddies like us who are always here to help? :occasion5:

How about 1/2 price on retractors? Will that heal it, really I was equalizing early and often I think I have a little sinus congestion left over from a cold a month ago and a rapid ascending buddy in the lake.

I am going to try the 50/50 Vodka & Orange Juice remedy.

Just be sure to drink it, don't put it in your ear, It'll be sticky......... by consuming the mix, the vodka will dull the pain, and the Orange juice will help with the immune system.

Pez7378 wrote:Just be sure to drink it, don't put it in your ear, It'll be sticky......... by consuming the mix, the vodka will dull the pain, and the Orange juice will help with the immune system.

See, Pez just showed his true colors! All you had to do was offer 1/2 price on retractors and all of a sudden Pez is "Mr. Helpful!" Cocktails and retractors, eh?! Sounds like a big night!!

Sounder wrote:
See, Pez just showed his true colors! All you had to do was offer 1/2 price on retractors and all of a sudden Pez is "Mr. Helpful!" Cocktails and retractors, eh?! Sounds like a big night!!

You can't have one without the other.

mattwave wrote:

Sounder wrote:
See, Pez just showed his true colors! All you had to do was offer 1/2 price on retractors and all of a sudden Pez is "Mr. Helpful!" Cocktails and retractors, eh?! Sounds like a big night!!

You can't have one without the other.

You can't get Pez without a retractor either!

Fishstiq wrote:I read something about a 50/50 mix of vinegar and vodka, but I don't remember the details. I know it was a specific type of vinegar... ](*,) I'll look and see if I can find it....

Allow me to clarify. After due reaserch, I have decided that by "vinegar" I meant Coca-Cola, and by "Vodka" I meant rum.

Sounder wrote:

mattwave wrote:

Sounder wrote:
See, Pez just showed his true colors! All you had to do was offer 1/2 price on retractors and all of a sudden Pez is "Mr. Helpful!" Cocktails and retractors, eh?! Sounds like a big night!!

You can't have one without the other.

You can't get Pez without a retractor either!

And I RETRACT anything good I ever had to say about you Sounder! Ba da ba bum! And I paid full price for that one!

I'm here all week! And don't forget to tip your waitress.

Pez7378 wrote:

Sounder wrote:

mattwave wrote:

Sounder wrote:
See, Pez just showed his true colors! All you had to do was offer 1/2 price on retractors and all of a sudden Pez is "Mr. Helpful!" Cocktails and retractors, eh?! Sounds like a big night!!

You can't have one without the other.

You can't get Pez without a retractor either!

And I RETRACT anything good I ever had to say about you Sounder! Ba da ba bum! And I paid full price for that one!

I'm here all week! And don't forget to tip your waitress.

Dmitchell wrote:I just dealt with this for the last month.

Went out that night and got a wax removal kit. It's a type of Peroxide that you put a few drops in and let it sit. Your supposed to do this a couple times a day for about 4 days then if you aren't clear, use the bulb syringe to hose out any leftovers. I couldn't wait, I used the drops for about 10 minutes each side then had the wife hose me out. HOLY CRAP! you cannot believe what came pouring out of my ears that I thought were spotless! And Instant relief, Slosh ear was gone and after another pool session Friday, 4 dives yesterday and probably 4 more today, I'm clear!

Dave

Thanks for sharing this... I'm bringing this up because I think it's an important point and good to emphasize. I was hoping it didn't get missed in all the typical banter and hoopla that quickly ensues on NWDC!

This seems to me to be an important consideration that folks should pay attention to when they have ear problems.

Dave, I know I'm not the only one who warned you to stop shoving crayons in your ears....... ](*,)

Just kidding, obviously- thanks for the tip- I'll give this a try next time I get the "sloshy ears."

Matt, here's a little piece I wrote on this topic, because it's such a common one to come up:

http://www.divematrix.com/showthread.ph ... ght=otitis

If the "sloshing" in your ear is due to congestion or inadequate equalization, NOTHING you put in the external ear will affect it in the slightest. VERY RARELY is a "sloshing" sound that persists more than a few minutes after a dive due to anything in the external ear. External ear problems are generally manifested as pain, and sometimes drainage from the ear.

The fluid in the middle ear that accumulates due to barotrauma has to be reabsorbed or drained through the Eustachian tube. Apparently there are some data that suggest that ibuprofen or other antiinflammatories can help speed this process, and some ENT docs also recommend decongestants like Sudafed. According to information I got from Gene Hobbs (and this is useful for all of us who do trips with multiple dive/multiple days) just the process of equalizing, no matter how perfectly done, irritates the Eustachian tube over time, and apparently ibuprofen, using during the dive trip, can help with this.

LCF wrote:According to information I got from Gene Hobbs (and this is useful for all of us who do trips with multiple dive/multiple days) just the process of equalizing, no matter how perfectly done, irritates the Eustachian tube over time, and apparently ibuprofen, using during the dive trip, can help with this.

Really?! Tom and I discussed this as a possibility during our trip to Bonaire where my ear started hurting and "sloshing" late on the last day... we thought "we've never heard of such a thing and it seems like something that would be common knowledge if it were true." This EXACTLY describes what I was feeling and why after being out of the water for a while along with the use of ibuprofen cured the problem!!

Learned something new. Thanks Lynne!