I. Can swimming earplugs prevent water from entering my ears?
The answer is yes, wearing earplugs when swimming can prevent water from entering my ears In this way, the eardrum will not be damaged by the water pressure, especially for some swimmers who suffer from otitis media or ear diseases, wearing earplugs when swimming can effectively protect the ears.
Whether earplugs are required for swimming depends on individual circumstances. Some people will feel very uncomfortable once water enters their ears, or their ears are more sensitive and prone to infection and inflammation. At this time, they can choose to wear earplugs to prevent water from entering the ears and prevent ear diseases. In general, we do not recommend the use of earplugs. First, the earplugs are easy to fall off. Second, not all situations will cause water to enter. The earplugs are just an auxiliary tool. affect hearing. In particular, swimmers do not wear earplugs. Whether the earplugs are worn well or not will affect the swimmer’s state.
Second, what to do if the swimming ear gets into the water
In summer, many people go swimming and often encounter water in their ears. A certain tension, after entering the narrow external auditory canal, forms a barrier and divides the external auditory canal into two sections, and due to the gravity of the water, a secondary pressure is generated between the water barrier and the tympanic membrane, maintaining the balance of pressure on both sides of the water barrier, making it difficult for water to flow out automatically. .
Sometimes there is a larger size in the ear canal If the cerumen is blocked, the water is more likely to wrap around the cerumen after entering the ear canal and is not easy to flow out. After water enters the ear, there will be stuffiness in the ear, hearing loss, dizziness, and very uncomfortable, so people are often very eager to drain the water. Some people even use unclean clips, matchsticks, small keys, etc. to dig their ears. Although they can get away with breaking the water barrier and allow the water to flow out, it is also easy to damage the external auditory canal and even the tympanic membrane, leading to ear diseases.
Three, the water should be discharged in time after the water enters the ear. The most common method is:
1. One-legged jumping method:
The affected ear is directed downwards, using the gravity of the water to cause the water to flow downward from the external auditory canal.
2. The method of moving the external auditory canal:
You can continuously press the tragus with your palm or pull the pinna with your fingers; The temporomandibular joint can make the skin of the external auditory canal move up and down, left and right, or change the stability of the water barrier and the stability of the pressure, so that water flows outward from the external auditory canal.
3. External auditory canal cleaning method:
Gently probe into the external auditory canal with a clean thin cotton swab, and once it touches the water barrier, the water can be sucked out.
4. Side lying method:
After trying the above methods, lie down on the side when sleeping at night, that is, the ear that enters the water , but do not block it, because after blocking, there will be air pressure affecting the outflow of water.
Due to unclean swimming pool or river water, the external auditory canal skin and tympanic membrane are infected after sewage enters the ear, or improper treatment of water in the ear, such as unclean ear digging, etc., can often cause the following ear diseases: External auditory canal inflammation, external auditory canal furuncle, cerumen obstruction, tympanitis, suppurative otitis media. If the above symptoms occur after water enters the ear, you should stop swimming temporarily and go to the hospital for examination and symptomatic treatment.
Fourth, what to do if the water can’t come out of the ear
When the water first enters the ear canal, it may not be very deep, so the easiest way is to use Jump on one leg to drain the water. You should go ashore immediately, if the right ear enters the water, the head is tilted to the right, the right leg jumps on one leg, the left side, and so on, under normal circumstances, the water can be discharged by jumping several times.
If the water goes deep, this can’t solve the problem, you can use oily ear drops, such as 2 percent phenol glycerin ear drops, to apply the ear drops once every 3-4 hours, usually after two times. Unclean water can be replaced to avoid otitis media. In an emergency, eardrops are unavailable for a while, but most people prepare eyedrops when swimming, and most swimming places also prepare eyedrops. You can also use eyedrops that are definitely not ineffective and have no ototoxicity to temporarily clean the ear canal. But be sure to replace the water with oily ear drops as soon as possible after the event!
Therefore, for those who often swim in summer, in addition to eye drops, 2 percent phenol glycerin ear drops should also be necessary one of the medicines.
Swimming
will inevitably cause water to enter the ear. After taking a clean bath, the water in the swimming pool that remains in the ear will basically flow out by itself. However, due to a large amount of earwax and other reasons, a small amount of sewage may remain in the ear canal and cause ear inflammation. In order to absorb the remaining water and sterilize and reduce inflammation, you can drop 3-6 drops of medical alcohol into the ear canal after bathing, stop for a while, and let it flow out naturally.
V. How to prevent water from entering the ear
1. Do a physical examination before swimming. When there is cerumen in the external auditory canal, it should be removed, otherwise it will easily cause pain and inflammation after swelling. In people with otitis media, if the eardrum is perforated and dirty water enters the middle ear, otitis media can be aggravated. Therefore, patients with otitis media can only swim with the consent of their doctor.
2. Tighten the ear canal with absorbent cotton dipped in Vaseline oil when swimming to protect the ear canal.
3. Drain the accumulated water in the external auditory canal in time after swimming. When draining the water, tilt the head to the side of the water, and gently tap the head with the palm of the same side to drain the water. If the ear is itchy, use 75 percent alcohol cotton to gently wipe the external auditory canal, and hand digging is prohibited. If you feel pain in the ear, you should go to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment in time.
4. Pay attention to the posture and method of diving, do not let the ear hit the water directly, so as to avoid tympanic membrane trauma.
5. If the water is still in, use the above method to drain the water.