stink ear

[Random Guy]

i went to the dr for a throat problem. He check my ears too. He said that something didn;t look right, and was surprised it didn't hurt. He put me on antibiotics for the throat, which should also help any infections.

i noticed that when i stick my finger in my bad ear and then smell it, it smells pretty bad, almost like feet.

but when i stick my finger in my good ear and smell it, there is no smell at all.

Is there usually a corollation between a bad smell and ear problem? The ear still stinks, and i've been on antibiotics for 5 days now.

any thoughts?
cowabunga
rg
i love cold water

 

[hmmm]

its probably rotten dead bacteria you are smelling. ears needs to be cleaned constantly.

 

[GROM]

that is disgusting rg!! LOL!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

 

[ECSrfrGrl]

Do you ever clean out your ears? just kididng... but ya wanna know something kinda related ? a couple months ago, my dog, Duke, had the smae problem... his left ear stunk so bad it almost made me puke... if yiu were int he same room as him, you could smell his damn ear... know what it wound up being? a yeast infection in his ear.... nasty right? im not saying your like my dog or anything, i just thought it was funny... hope your ear smells better soon!

 

[Random Guy]

everything still sounds smelly doc.

I remember this story i heard about things getting in someone's ear, then through the eardrum, having lots of babies inside, and continue to multiply. I wonder if that's what happened, and I smell these things thousaunds of pairs of feet in there.
Doc, do you think that's it?
cowabunga
rg
i love cold water

 

[Long Island Surfer]

maybe could be the begginings of surfers ear?

 

[blakestah]

That stinky smell is bacteria or mold growth.

The antibiotics will not do ANYTHING to help. The ear canal (and even inside the tympanic membrane) do not respond well to antibiotics.

Basically, the canal is a small dark warm place, and bacteria LOVE it there. You need to make it less desireable.

So, start by rinsing your ear canal out with rubbing alcohol. Do this after water exposures. Fill the canal with alcohol (1-2 well placed drops), then let it come out. Repeat. The alcohol will draw water out of the canal, and then the residual will evaporate. The end result is a dry environment that bacteria do not like. Some ear drops do the same and add a tiny bit of glycerin to keep the canal from getting dry and cracking, but this isn't usually necessary.

If you have stuck Q-tips in the canal, you may have a bad wax buildup. In that case, grab some mineral oil (sold as baby oil in the supermarket). Fill your canal with the oil, pack it in with cotton, and sleep on it. It will soften the wax, and take about 36 hours to clear out. Your hearing may be a little funny for about a day - that is normal. This is for WAX-BUILDUP, not for bacteria.

In the future, no Q-Tips in your ears, dry with alcohol after soaking in water, and you should be fine (except for surfer's ear if you are in cold areas).

 

[Random Guy]

blakestah,
Mold? Yuck.
i never use qtips.
i have some Swim-ear, with is 95% isopropyl alcohol, 5% glycerin. You think that will help get rid of this stuff, or only prevent it from recurring?
thanks
rg

 

[blakestah]

Yes - the Swim Ear drops are perfect. Treat ASAP after getting out of the water.

 

[SurfDoc]

Whoa, quit smelling your fingers. Probably got some toe jam in the old ear canal! Listen, bacteria likes to grow where there is moisture, heat, and food. Like an overly dirty ear. There has to be a balance here between proper ear care and such. Have your doc rinse those ears out if there's too much goop in there!

 

[Random Guy]

dear god, i'm gross

 

[GROM]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Random Guy:
<strong>dear god, i'm gross</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">lol rg!! just see the doc about them specifically. i don't get stank ear (you are a freak!!) but i do get wax build up sometimes just from whatever... and if you go in, he'll flush those ears out good, have you feeling like a new man.

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

 

[Storm]

I have the same problem occasionally.

YOU HAVE SURFERS EAR.
Surfers ear is your ears defence against the cold and constant water intrusion. The ear canal begins to close up. The Canal starts growing boney growths. If left the ear will totally close and need drilling.

The smell you are getting from your ear is stale water. Water is collecting in your ear and is not able to escape because of the growth. The water then rots and stinks.

Now I would say you are in very early stages. My friend has been surfing 19 years and has 80% closure. He is contemplating getting it drilled.

My advise to you is wear Doc Surf ear plugs. I have used them for 3 years now and my condition is receading and has stopped growing.
The plugs take a few sessions to get used to but once used to them you will feel naked without them.

 

[macbarrel]

does anyone elses ears 'crackle'? cheers for the tips on rubbing alcohol- is it the same stuff as surgical spirit?

lang may yer lums reek, as we say in these parts.

 

[cencoastgrom]

Ear crackesls yes! I get those alot and dont know what they are. What are they surf doc? They kinda scare me.

 

[ECSrfrGrl]

I get the ear crakles from time to time too... its kind of annoying.

 

[SurfDoc]

Ear crackles? Likely fluid in the middle ear collected from gnarly wipeouts or possibly a little irritation of the ear drum due to the barometric pressure under crashing waves.

Next, for those really wanting to do homemade ear rinses...
equal parts of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar as in one teaspoon of each. Rinse in, rinse out. Don't leave the stuff in there!

 

[hmmm]

no i think ear crackles are the dead dry flakes of ear wax that fall into your eardrum and since it hits the drum directly it makes a loud crackling sound. just clean ur ear regularly to avoid them.