[svanerik]

My left ear has gotten infected due to extensive use of earplugs, I play the violin and use hearing protection on my left ear. I also use canalphones a lot.

The infection makes it impossible for me to use my ety's so I am stuck with the original iPod buds. I expect to have to wait another two weeks (or maybe more) before I can use my babys again.

Pity me, pity me!

 

[hansel_ng]

you use earplugs while playing the violin? Is that very common with your fellow violinists and violist acquaintances? I play the violin too and don't bother. Sometimes after extensive playing theres a ringing sound but generally its fine. Doesn't an earplug affect your playing experience?


And i don't even think you should be using anything that sticks into the ears...you should get a pair of headphones

 

[RickG]

Are you taking antibiotics svanerik? I'm asking because I seem to have something similar with my left ear.

 

[UAndy]

It happend to me also every now and then because I use earplugs at night for noise cancelling and very often UE10s and Etys. What helped me ever since: I do nothing for about 3 days - it cures itself. I don´t use q-tips or similar ear-cleaning sticks. And I concentrate not to touch the ears. At night I form the seal to be very small as not to insert it too deep - only just that the opening is closed lightly. When it starts itching slightly than this signals that after one day it´s cured. Only after that period a doctor should be consulted in order to get antibiotics.
Now this is my experience for my previous situations (Iuse IEMs for about 12 years and earplugs almost 32 years) - that can be different with others. But hopefully it helps you as well.
Best wishes for a fast cure

uandy

 

[Chri5peed]

My left ear is a bit irritable, why I can't really use my Shures or earbuds too much.

Suppose I should see the Doc about it?

 

[Lisa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickG Are you taking antibiotics svanerik? I'm asking because I seem to have something similar with my left ear.

I've had so many earinfection when I was a kid I've lost count. I usually was taking to a doctor and most of the time they punched a hole in my eardrum with a needle to prevent the eardrum from rupturing which can cause damage. Because the pressure is is gone after that the pain is a lot less. Most of the time I got antibiotics, later I could prevent the earinfection to get bad by taking homeophatic medicins. My worst earinfection was when I was on holidays in Norway. Didn't have homeophatic medicins with with us. And we were in such a remote area that a doctor only came there once a week. So my eardrum ruptured and I'd never seen so much green gross stuff coming out of it. It literraly dripped constantly. When the doctor came he had a look in my ear. Some green stuff splashed in his face (no kidding!) and he just sent me away saying that it would cure itself. And it did. Took a few weeks but after that my chain of earinfections stopped.

What do I want to say with this story? Nothing really, I think I was pretty lucky not to get hearing damage. But i also think that my body benefitted from getting a change to cure itself.

My advise to you Rick is, use nostril spray to keep everything open so it gets a change to heal itself but if it gets too painful, trobbing stinging pain that keeps you awake at night, or if it doesn't go away, just go see a doctor. And if you're feeling adventures, see a Norwegian one.

 

[JeffS]

Ok, that story freaked me out a bit...

Leaking green goo from the ear, just gives me the willies for some reason.
I was suprised that the doctor said it will fix itself. Are you sure he just
didn't want more ear juice on his face?

just kidding.
Glad your ears are better.

-Jeff

 

[saab]

I had so many ear infections when I was younger, I had to have tubes placed in my eardrumms three seperate times. They basically provided a "tunnel" through the eardrums so pressures would stay eaqual I guess. This was before I was ten years old. I have since only had one infection, and that was caused by swimmers ear during a summer of lifeguarding.

I guess the reason I am saying this is because I can feel your pain, and I am sorry for you. Ear infections are absolutely no fun!

Good luck
-John

 

[Burns11]

How many of you clean your canalphone tips often? I'm actually scared I'll get an outer ear infection (swimmer's ear) again and clean them at least once a week, sometimes twice during heavy use. I use the little individually wrapped alcohol wipes, like they use when giving a shot.

 

[ScubaSteve87]

Same thing happened to me. After wearing the ER4 for 8+ hours straight on a plane. Ear infections suck. I still wore my ER4's at work when I was around machinery, wow now, that hurt

 

[arisen]

Is it an outer ear infection? Because if it is, I have a great cure for you, just a few drops of colloidal silver, which is a great topical antibiotic.

The problem is there are many inferior colloidal silver products on the market, most people that use it, make their own.

Here are a few links if you want to read more about it (you can also google it)

http://www.elixa.com/silver/lindmn.htm (general info)
http://chetday.com/colloidalsilvergenerator.htm (the generator I use)
http://www.purestcolloids.com/ (good quality products)
http://www.silver-colloids.com/ (independent quality checks)
http://curezone.com/foods/silver.asp (info)

 

[gshan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hansel_ng you use earplugs while playing the violin? Is that very common with your fellow violinists and violist acquaintances? I play the violin too and don't bother. Sometimes after extensive playing theres a ringing sound but generally its fine. Doesn't an earplug affect your playing experience?

OP's probably using musician earplugs, which are balanced frequency attenuators.

Best of luck with a quick healing process, svanerik!

 

[RickG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisa I've had so many earinfection when I was a kid I've lost count. I usually was taking to a doctor and most of the time they punched a hole in my eardrum with a needle to prevent the eardrum from rupturing which can cause damage. Because the pressure is is gone after that the pain is a lot less. Most of the time I got antibiotics, later I could prevent the earinfection to get bad by taking homeophatic medicins. My worst earinfection was when I was on holidays in Norway. Didn't have homeophatic medicins with with us. And we were in such a remote area that a doctor only came there once a week. So my eardrum ruptured and I'd never seen so much green gross stuff coming out of it. It literraly dripped constantly. When the doctor came he had a look in my ear. Some green stuff splashed in his face (no kidding!) and he just sent me away saying that it would cure itself. And it did. Took a few weeks but after that my chain of earinfections stopped. What do I want to say with this story? Nothing really, I think I was pretty lucky not to get hearing damage. But i also think that my body benefitted from getting a change to cure itself. My advise to you Rick is, use nostril spray to keep everything open so it gets a change to heal itself but if it gets too painful, trobbing stinging pain that keeps you awake at night, or if it doesn't go away, just go see a doctor. And if you're feeling adventures, see a Norwegian one.

Thanks Lisa for that rather graphic but nonetheless thoughtful reply.

I'm finding that my problem is more a swelling of the ear canal and is allergy/sinus related. To make matters worse, the condition is aggravated by caffeine/nicotine and since I smoke cigarettes and usually go through several pots of coffee each day, I'm having a difficult time. Like svanerik, I'm also missing my headphone listening sessions.

However, I am in the process of cutting back on the offending substances and taking an antihistamine. Hopefully there will be a reduction in the swelling soon and I won't have to visit a Norwegian doctor!

 

[Capital R]

I've never had an ear infection in my short 17 years alive, and I use primarialy full sized headphones so that won't be a big problem. I can't say that I know what you're going through, but I hope you get well soon so you can enjoy the sweet pleasures of sound quality once more!

 

[mulveling]

Weird. I didn't know you could get ear infections from extensive earplug use. I used to be a swimmer, so I've had my share of ear infections. I'd use a few drops of rubbing alcohol (or now I use a product called Auro-Dry; milder than pure alcohol) in each ear after a swim to prevent infections. Recently I've started swimming again - after an 8 year break - except this time I'm an audiophile who couldn't live without headphone listening for a whole week due to swimmer's ear

So, I've been using AuroDry religiously. Maybe that would help after using earplus, too?

I'm curious as to what causes infections from earplug use. Is it that sweat gets trapped in there and stagnates during use? Or is it physical abrasions/lacerations on the skin that increases the chances of infection?