How to Avoid Ear Pain After Freediving: Vinegar, Olive Oil, Alcohol - What's the Answer?
How to avoid ear pain after freediving! Vinegar, Olive Oil, Alcohol what's the answer?
If you spend a lot of time in the water whether it's freediving, surfing, or just training in the pool you've probably dealt with an outer ear infection at some point. That annoying dull ache or sharp sting, the itchiness, and the dreaded "you can't dive for a week" news. I used to get them every other month until we discovered a solution that actually worked.
Now, just to be clear, I'm not a doctor, and this isn't medical advice. I'm a Freediving Instructor Trainer and Functional Breathing Coach, sharing what has consistently helped me and my students avoid outer ear infections (otitis externa).
The method is straightforward, inexpensive, and surprisingly effective.
First of all don't use ear drops with alcohol!
- Used as a drying agent to evaporate moisture
- Can be harsh/irritating to inflamed tissues
- Limited antimicrobial spectrum
Olive oil isn't useful either
- No antimicrobial properties
- Can soften/loosen wax (the opposite of what you need)
The Earwax Factor
Why Some Divers have bionic ears and can dive for weeks without getting infection!
The type of earwax you have can actually influence your risk of getting infections while diving. There are two main types of earwax.
Wet earwax: Is sticky and honey colored Dry earwax: Which tends to be flaky and grayish.
This variation is actually genetic!
The majority of East Asian descent have dry earwax, while wet earwax is more common among Europeans and Africans. Dry earwax has fewer lipids and proteins, making it a less inviting environment for bacteria to thrive. For divers, the real kicker is that dry earwax doesn't hold onto water as much as the sticky wet type does. This means that if you have dry earwax, you might be able to dive for weeks on end without worrying about ear infection, while those with wet earwax could start facing issues after just a few days in the water. So, if you find yourself prone to ear infections after diving, you most likely have wet earwax. It's not the best news however we have a solution.
Life in Warm Water
When I first relocated to the tropics and started teaching freediving, I found myself in the water nearly every day, sometimes for 10 days straight. While that might sound like a dream (and in many ways, it was), my ears had a different opinion. By the end of my first teaching stint, I was hit with a painful infection and had to stay out of the water for days. It cleared up with some antibiotic ear drops, but it came back as soon as I dove again too soon.
This cycle went on and on. We tried everything, prescription drops, taking rest days, using drying agents but the infections just kept coming back.
Then Came the Vinegar
A diving doctor from DAN shared a simple tip with us. After every dive or pool session, rinse your ears with a 5% solution of white vinegar. That was it!
We were a bit skeptical at first, but we committed to it, and the results were undeniable.
No more infections.
And it wasn't just me, none of the instructors had any infections for the rest of the year.
At this point my mind couldn't let it go. I had to know why this was working, why do we get ear infections and why did it take us so long to get good advice. I started searching for studies, medical references or anything that would give me a bit of an idea. I wanted an answer to the question!
Why Does It Work?
Your outer ear canal has a naturally slightly acidic pH compared to the rest of our body, which helps keep bacteria and fungi at bay. Earwax plays a key role in maintaining that pH.
When you spend a lot of time underwater, whether it's in chlorinated pools or the salty ocean, your earwax can start to break down. Combine that with aggressive cleaning methods, like using cotton swabs, or just constant moisture, and your ear environment can become more alkaline. That's when pesky bacteria or fungi can take advantage.
White vinegar is a handy solution because it contains acetic acid, which:
- Has antimicrobial & pH adjusting properties
- Creates acidic environment exactly what bacteria/fungi don't like
- Is generally gentler when used in the correct dilution
How to Use It
- Mix your solution or buy vinegar that is already a 5% mix.
- After your freedive sessions use a dropper or a small squeeze bottle, tilt your head and fill your ear canal with a few drops. (we used a general purpose spray bottle)
- Let it sit for about 20–30 seconds.
- Tilt your head the other way and let the liquid flow out.
- Dry gently using a clean towel to pat the outer ear dry. Avoid using cotton swabs inside the canal.
- And don't forget to take some rest days! Even with vinegar, your ears need time to recover from all that exposure and pressure changes.
What the Research Shows
Numerous studies have looked into how effective vinegar can be as a treatment for certain ear infections. A number of studies have used diluted vinegar (acetic acid) solutions against standard antibiotic treatments.
Gupta et al. (India, 2014)
This study focused on patients suffering from chronic otitis media, who were dealing with persistent ear infections that caused fluid discharge. The researchers compared a 2% vinegar solution to regular antibiotic ear drops and discovered:
- Vinegar treatment led to discharge resolution in 84% of patients
- Small eardrum perforations healed in 26% of patients
- Antibiotic treatment resulted in discharge resolution for 58% of patients and eardrum healing in just 14% of patients
In this study, the vinegar solution proved to be more effective than antibiotics.
Prakairungthong et al. (Thailand)
This research looked at patients with granular myringitis, a condition that leads to ongoing moisture and irritation in the ear canal. The findings revealed that:
- A diluted vinegar rinse effectively treated ear canal moisture
- Results were achieved faster compared to antibiotic drops
- The vinegar solution showed encouraging outcomes for this particular condition
Conclusion
Using vinegar is a great preventative measure for divers!
If you spend a lot of time in the water, whether for work or training, incorporating a simple vinegar rinse into your routine could save you from discomfort, dry time, and even the need for antibiotics. It's become a part of my post dive hygiene for the last 9 years.
I swear by it.
While this trick won't give you superhuman hearing, it just might help you enjoy your time in the water longer and in better health.
Author
MJ Kühn
Freediving Instructor Trainer & Functional Breath Coach
Co-Founder of breathhold.co