Terrified of getting ear infection

[JustBenn]

Hi, I've gotten water in my ears after swimming, I've read that water that gets behind the ear drum can cause chronic infection and im scared to death that this will happen to me, I've been seeing things like swimmers ears and fluid getting in behind the ear drums that cant exit

So far ive used hair dryer to dry it out, slept on the sides, pulled me ear lobes and driven with the windows down to let the air in, i can hear but its not back to normal.

Why doesn't the water evaporate? Why does it feel blocked. How do i avoid infection? Worried, need reassurance.

[Pamplemousse]

Even if you do get an infection, I wouldn't worry about it - I've had a few in the past for whatever reason. The worst effect was usually lack of balance, which passed eventually.

Above all, don't get sucked into the Google Vortex Of Bad Things!!!

[JustBenn]

Hey, thanks for your comment

I could punch myself, i knew something like this would happen if i went swimming but i went anyway. Its disrupting my work as i am in a customer based role.

I tried finding to unblock on YouTube, he said to hold nose and blow, now im worried i blown a hole in my ear drums as i heard a squeak as i was trying to pop it 😥

I'll try anything at this point and it made it worse.

Stupid me.

[Fishmanpa]

There are these things called 'ear plugs' that help prevent water from getting in you ears :whistles: That said, the chances are slim at best for developing an ear infection and there are meds called antibiotics if you do ;)

FMP

[.Poppy.]

Have you ever had tubes placed in your eardrum? If not, it’s very unlikely water would make it into your inner ear as you would know if it had been punctured otherwise.

Most ear infections are due to the Eustachian tube not opening correctly, usually due to a cold or allergies. That will set off a process that eventually leads to infection. It doesn’t happen often in adults though as our shift as we get older and therefore work better (why ear infections are so common in little kids).

And, as FMP said, if you do somehow end up with an infection you can treat it. Ear infections were really dangerous for kids 150 years ago but now we have antibiotics so it’s an easy fix.

[JustBenn]

Thank you. I'll remember that advice next time. I only started swimming for weight loss.

My ears are still blocked. Its now been 24 hours I tried holding my nose and mouth and blowing i think its called Valsalva maneuver and it made it worse and i read that it messes with your heart beat and raptures ear drums, worried even more. One thing after another. Never ends. I just want to hear normally

[JustBenn]

Hi, thanks for replying. I hope this thread turns out like the other threads i laugh about now.

Im not scared of a one off infection however on google, i saw chronic, and swimmers ear and thought the worst

But right now, not hearing and trying methods online isn't helping its really getting me down, is there any chance it could be clingy ear wax, olive oil doesn't work for me, is there anything more better?

[.Poppy.]

Ear wax can give that blocked feeling for sure. I know there are OTC things that can help with wax, but don't have any great recommendations myself. The last time I had my ears cleaned the nurse at my GP did it (maybe during a physical?) and it was absolutely amazing. I wish I knew what she had used.

Could you call your GP or a pharmacist and see if they have a recommendation for a product you can use?

[Pamplemousse]

A few years ago I got so blocked up with wax I couldn't hear - and the only way to sort it was to have my ears cleaned out. You see, I need my hearing for my job!

Although syringing is deprecated in favour of suction now, I had my ears syringed privately and even had an auditory test done at the same time. However, the test wasn't in a sound-proof booth but in an office on an industrial estate! Ears were pretty good though.

[ckelley116]

I was born with underdeveloped Eustachian tubes. Most kids get ear infections; I got about three times as many as other kids and they lasted longer because my ears simply would not drain. One morning when I was about 4, I had an infection and woke up with my pillowcase glued to the side of my face. My eardrum had ruptured in my sleep and all the fluid leaked out. A few months later I had tubes put in my ears, and the frequency of infections declined until I eventually grew out of them.

All this is to say that while ear infections are painful as hell, they’re easily treated with normal antibiotics and even if your eardrum does rupture, it won’t kill you and it will heal. I didn’t even suffer any hearing loss from it.

[ErinKC]

All the stuff you're doing to try and unblock your ear is probably not helping at this point because it's just making you hyperaware of every ear sensation. I know no one here likes to recommend seeing a doctor for anxiety - but it would be so simple to pop over to a clinic and have them look in year ears to see if there's extra fluid or an infection beginning. I have bad seasonable allergies and TMJ so I'll get a chronically full ear feeling in my left ear. Now and then if it's particularly bad I'll stop by an urgent care to have them take a quick look to make sure I don't have an infection starting. I've only ever had one once - like others say, it's very rare for adults to get ear infections. Even when my ear is so full it's hurting, it's usually not an infection.

You could also say you've just started swimming and ask what can you do to prevent infection (like fishman said - ear plugs are probably a good idea for you if you're worried about it) and what steps could you take moving forward to help if you do get water in your ears.