Ear Infections, Irritation and Swimmers Ear from Frequent Washing

[chayil0427]

Has anyone ever had a problem with ear infections or swimmers ear from washing their hair.

I'm going to the Dr this afternoon because I'm having severe ear pain...it's been going on for a while and now my ears are oozing . I think it's from washing frequently and getting water in my ears from the shower. It started with simple itching and now I believe it's full fledged infection.

Anyone else experienced this? What did you do? How do you prevent it?

Chayil

 

[VirtuousGal]

Yes, this happened to me the first time I self relaxed actually. I thought it was an ear infection but it was water trapped in wax that was deep in my ear(from cleaning with Q-tips, a bad habit that feels soooo good). I guess it built up over time, but this time just tipped the boat over. First I went to the drug store and used Debrox, a hydrogen peroxide based solution that slowly breaks up the wax in the inner ear. When I started using it, it hurt soooo bad. I couldnt even go to class, I just lied down. Strangely enough, I had a danactive yogurt, the one that is suppose to regulate your stomache, I believe it had probiotics in it actually, and I felt immediate relief from the pain. I still couldnt hear too well out of that ear. At this point I thought that maybe the relaxer had done some damage to my eardrum. I went to the doctor on campus, and he said that wasnt the case, he sucked out most of the wax with a suction machine, told me to keep using debrox and then sucked out the remainder a week later. Everything was a-okay.

 

[foxy kc]

I've never had an ear infection, but I just want to suggest that maybe you should consider purchasing ear plugs, to avoid water getting in your ear.

 

[newflowers]

I get ear infections a couple times a year - I have for my entire life. You can do a couple of thngs to help prevent them. When you get water in your ear, put in a couple drops of alcohol which will help evaporate the moisture. You can clean you ears with hydrogen proxide - it's a kind of cool bubbly feeling that helps to lift the old wax.

Make sure you drain the water - just turn your head to the side for a few minutes. Earplugs are also useful to prevent the problem in the first place if it is being caused by water in the ear.

I hope you feel better so- ear infection hurt so much - it always feels as if my entire head is going to explode.

 

[chayil0427]

Thanks ladies...

 

[kimistry]

I get ear infections a couple times a year - I have for my entire life. You can do a couple of thngs to help prevent them. When you get water in your ear, put in a couple drops of alcohol which will help evaporate the moisture. You can clean you ears with hydrogen proxide - it's a kind of cool bubbly feeling that helps to lift the old wax.

Make sure you drain the water - just turn your head to the side for a few minutes. Earplugs are also useful to prevent the problem in the first place if it is being caused by water in the ear.

I hope you feel better so- ear infection hurt so much - it always feels as if my entire head is going to explode.

Chayil, thanks for posing this question!

Newflowers, I've had 2 ear infections as an adult. The 1st was about 5 years ago, the result of water entering my ears while getting shampooed at the salon. I wasn't able to drain all the water. It was right after Christmas and made the remainder of the holiday season pretty painful & uncomfortable for me.

Doc gave me a Z-pack which alleviated most of the pain & suffering, but my ears have not been the same since. I still have frequent popping (I guess from pressure in my inner ear?). I was wondering if the alcohol drops or hydrogen peroxide helped with this? Do you just do 2-3 drops with a medicine dropper? How often do you perform this?

 

[newflowers]

That is exactly how I do it. I haveone of the droppers for baby medicine - like from a tylenol bottle. I drop in two or three drops of alcohol when i get out of the shower at night. I drop in one side, lay down with a small cotton round pressed against my ear (not put inside). It takes a minute or two, and you can feel a little water draining out. Repeat on the other side.

The peroxide is realy good - a couple of drops and you can feel it fizzing in your ear. Again, head to the side to drain, and then the qtip, and then drain again.

It seems like a lot of trouble, but you know what that pain feels like - it's worth the extra few minutes.

 

[ladylibra]

I thought it was an ear infection but it was water trapped in wax that was deep in my ear(from cleaning with Q-tips, a bad habit that feels soooo good). I guess it built up over time, but this time just tipped the boat over. ... I still couldnt hear too well out of that ear.

exactly what i was going to say!

i had an ear infection once way back as a permie in high school when i did a lot of swimming one summer... i just used sweet oil (you can get it at any drugstore, Wal-Mart etc.) to break up all that ear wax, and dug it out with a Q-tip after a few days. it was pretty gross. i was told that those ear candle thingies would've worked better, but i didn't know where to get them or how to use them. i guess it's not the best suggestion since you could poke your eardrum out if you don't know what you're doing...

my 2nd ear infection was just this May. this one was different because it was supposedly caused by my allergies/blowing my nose so much and water getting trapped behind my eardrum (probably from my frequent co-washing). the infection settled in my Eustachian tube and in a week it went from slightly annoying itchy ear to not being able to eat because it hurt to move my jaw. after 10 days i stopped being stubborn and went to the doctor. he gave me some kind of eardrops to use and a buttload of 800mg ibuprofen horsepills for the pain. i still have 3/4 of a bottle... kind of OT but those things are great during a certain time of the month.

 

[kimistry]

Thanks Newflowers! I'm going to give that a try. I NEVER want to experience that pain again.


Ladylibra, I can't believe you lasted 10 whole days! I guess I'm a wimp. I went to urgent care on the 2nd day!

 

[newflowers]

Thanks Newflowers! I'm going to give that a try. I NEVER want to experience that pain again.


Ladylibra, I can't believe you lasted 10 whole days! I guess I'm a wimp. I went to urgent care on the 2nd day!

I'm so right with you there - a bad ear infection hurt worse than labor with no drugs and having your wisdom teeth removed. LadyLibra, I don't know how you made 10 days either. I would have been crying after the day three.

I don't really think frequent hair washing causes ear infections - maybe it can make one feel worse, but plain water, or even water with soap or conditioner in the ear can't be the root cause. I thinnk it more likely the water staying in the ear and growing bacteria maybe.

 

[kimistry]

I don't really think frequent hair washing causes ear infections - maybe it can make one feel worse, but plain water, or even water with soap or conditioner in the ear can't be the root cause. I thinnk it more likely the water staying in the ear and growing bacteria maybe.

I think you're right!

 

[gn1g]

sometime if you place a hot towel near your ear or lay your ear on the hot towel it will cause it to drain.

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

Yes, but not simply from washing, from washing then wearing earplugs. I had bad recurring otitis externa till I quit the earplugs. It's important to let the ears dry full after getting them wet or even sweating.