Preventing and dealing with ear infections after freediving
In case you use a dropper that was originally intended for something else such as an eye dropper, make sure that you label it. Your family won't appreciate putting peroxide in their eyes.

Preventing and dealing with ear infections after freediving

I have had recurring ear infections since I started freediving. At first I would only get them after pool training, but later I also started getting them after ocean dives. I am unfortunately very prone to ear infections because of a narrow ear canal that makes it hard to drain my ears. For me, the war on germs is a necessary post-dive ritual.

This article is based on my and other freedivers’ experiences, but remember that I am not a doctor – if you have health concerns, do not rely on me for advice.

Symptoms of an ear infection after freediving

An ear infection is caused by bacteria in the outer ear. If water remains in the outer ear after a dive these bacteria can multiply and cause an infection. Usually these infections become apparent the day after the dive, gradually increase in severity, and then decrease again. During an ear infection you may experience some difficulty hearing through the ear affected, swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck (more prominent on the side of the ear infection) and headaches.

If you experience sudden pain in your ear during a dive, it’s not an ear infection but barotrauma. If you do not have an ear infection but another ear problem you may injure yourself further by using the methods below, so make sure you know what is causing you grief!

Prevention of ear infections

  • Rinse your ear with a natural oil (olive oil, coconut oil) prior to diving

Ear wax is a substance composed of oils and dead skin and is called cerumen. It protects the skin of your ear canal. By rinsing the ear with a natural oil prior to the dive session you reinforce the cerumen and make it less likely that germs or harmful substances make contact with the ear canal. I myself have not used this method but after the initial publication of this article, other freedivers mentioned this as a good prevention technique.

  • Drain your ears after every freediving session

The first thing to do once you come out of the water is to make sure you have drained all the water out of your ear. The water that remains in your ear, together with some ear wax and things that float in the water such as algae, are the perfect substrate for bacteria to grow and multiply on. Drain your ears thoroughly and you stand a much better chance of avoiding an ear infection in the first place.

  • Use a a solution with vinegar and/or alcohol once after freediving

If you are prone to ear infections like me, just draining your ears won’t work. Time to take out the bigger guns so that you do not give bacteria a chance. I use a 50% vinegar, 50% alcohol solution in my ears after dives. If I do this right away after a dive, I know I won’t get an ear infection. You can get rubbing alcohol from the pharmacy, and buy simple white vinegar at the grocery store. I use a dropper that used to have different ear drops in it to administer it. I keep the solution in my ear for about 5 – 10 seconds and then let it drain.

Ear infection
Simple rubbing alcohol. Mix this 50/50 with white vinegar and put one or two drops in both ears after a freedive, and drain. Works like a charm
ear infection
In case you use a dropper that was originally intended for something else such as an eye dropper, make sure that you label it. Your family or roommates won’t appreciate putting peroxide in their eyes.

Note that alcohol dries the ears. For this reason, some freedivers mix the alchol with coconut oil, or d not use alcohol in the mix. Rather, they choose to use alcohol and water. I am sure there are more out there, but here are some possible concoctions:

  • 33% alcohol, 33% water, 33% vinegar
  • 50% alcohol, 50% vinegar
  • 50% water, 50% vinegar
  • 80% alcohol, 20% coconut oil

If you do get an ear infection

If I forget to use the vinegar-alcohol solution, I stand a fairly big chance of waking up the next day with an ear infection. Here’s what I do if I get an ear infection:

  • Use a vinegar and alcohol solution every 4 hours

If I have a starting ear infection, I use a 50%/50% alcohol-vinegar solution every four hours. I lie down on the couch with the affected ear up, administer some drops and leave them in the ear for about a minute, and then let it drain. I do this every four hours during the day until the infection recedes.

  • Blast the bacteria with hydrogen peroxide

A very effective way to remove ear wax and kill bacteria is hydrogen peroxide. A topical solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide does the trick. Use a dropper to get 3 drops in your ears and let it sit for 5 – 10 minutes until draining. The hydrogen peroxide will liquefy the ear wax and bacteria that cause the infection so that it can drain out of the ear. This method is very effective, but does remove the ear wax, a protective lining that coats the ear canal. I only use hydrogen peroxide if I have excessive ear wax or if the ear infection is severe (excessive ear wax and a severe infection commonly go hand in hand).

Always label your droppers aprropiately!

Ear infection
Hydrogen peroxide. The bugs don’t like it. You ears may not either, but it does get rid of the infection. Don’t make using hydrogen peroxide a habit.
  • Go see a doctor

I commonly notice a result within a day or at least two days using the alcohol-vinegar solution and/or hydrogen peroxide. I recommend you see a doctor if the above methods do not work or if you have a serious infection. Although you can get topical antibiotics over the counter in some countries, I don’t recommend using antibiotics without prescription.

I’d love to hear your method of battling ear infections, let me know what works for you in the comments!

Jaap

Jaap is a geologist by trade and a freediver by passion. Jaap wrote the book Longer and Deeper in 2018. His book teaches how to train for freediving and spearfishing on land.

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Luca M.

    Old school method proven to work!! 🙂

  2. Hasan SÜNEAR

    Thanks , it works 👏🏾

    1. Jaap

      Glad to hear that!

  3. Mark Kowalsky

    I used to get ear infections from diving every time I went on vacation. I have been syringing out my ears with almost-hot water to clean them, followed by the 50/50 alcohol/vinegar solution before diving, and then the 5050 mix after diving. I’m now spearfishing once a week in the tropics, and haven’t had an ear infection in over a year. This really works.

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