Tag: Ear Canal

Your Best Home Remedy For Swimmers Ear

Swimmers ear is an inflammation of the outer ear that is sometimes referred to by its scientific name otitis externa, or is simply called an earache. The name swimmers ear comes from the fact that since this infection is caused by excess moisture, some swimmers are prone to it.

While swimmers may be the most common sufferers of this infection, anyone can come down with it if the conditions are right. It is often recurrent, so it can be extremely inconvenient and potentially expensive to have to visit the doctor every time it occurs.

As such, many people are interested in a home remedy for swimmers ear. There are many different home remedies available, so the question becomes: which one works the best? The answer may depend on the severity of the inflammation and simply what works best for you.

However, before trying any home remedies its a good idea to visit a doctor at least once. This is because sometimes what may look like swimmers ear is actually a more serious ear infection that needs serious treatment.

If youve been diagnosed with swimmers ear before then its usually safe to try a home remedy for earaches when they recur. One option is to simply purchase over the counter ear drops from a pharmacy. They are a simple and inexpensive way to help minimize the pain of swimmers ear and cure it.

One example of such a home remedy for earaches is Burrows Solution, which is commonly used to treat rashes and bug bites. Burrows Solution is available without a prescription, making it an easy to obtain fix.

It may also be possible to treat swimmers ear with things that you already have around the house. For example, putting a little bit of rubbing alcohol into the affected ear can help to clear out any building infection. Simply tilt your head to the side with the inflamed ear pointed upward. Pull your ear to stretch out the ear canal, and squeeze just a drop of rubbing alcohol into the canal. Shake your head a bit to make sure the alcohol flows all through it, then tilt your head to the other side to drain it out.

Some similar approaches include using some other common household supplies. For example, white vinegar, or a mixture of alcohol and white vinegar can help to kill off any bacteria that are building up in the ear canal. Use the same method outline above for rubbing alcohol.

The best home remedy for swimmers ear is simply prevention. Even if you swim regularly doesnt mean youre doomed to get it. There are a lot of simple ways to help prevent the problem before it starts. For example, you might try wearing earplugs or a swimming cap, when you go swimming. This helps to keep the water from getting into your ear canal where it can promote the growth of fungus or bacteria. If you dont like earplugs, you can even use a blow dryer to manually dry out your ears after swimming.

Remember if the problem persist consult your local physician.

Hearing Aid For The Deaf

If you have deafness problems, the good news is that you can remedy it with hearing aids. There are different types around so you just have to find out which one is ideal for you.

But what is a hearing aid? It is simply an instrument that amplifies sound. Since hearing loss is different for each individual, it has to be configured manually to detect sound pitches at all levels.

Here, we will talk about 4 types of hearing aids. These are namely the completely in the canal instruments, the in the canal instruments, the in the ear instruments, behind the ear, open fit or over the ear hearing aid and bone anchored hearing aids.

The completely in the canal instrument or CIC is considered to be the best one around because it is so small that no one will notice that you are wearing it. Each one is custom made and this is designed for people who are suffering from mild to moderate hearing loss.

Next is the in the canal instrument or ITC. This is bigger since it has to occupy the entire ear canal. It is very flexible and designed to manage a wide range of hearing needs.

Then there is the in the ear instrument or ITE. This usually fits into the cradle position of the ear and just like the ITC, can handle a wide range of hearing needs. It is a little bigger than the ITC and is also custom made to shape the patients ear.

The behind the ear is placed behind the ear and connected using a plastic ear mold that fits inside the outer ear. This is only used by individuals who have mild to profound hearing loss.

You also have the Open-fit or Over-the-Ear hearing aids. This is a small plastic case that is placed behind the ear with a clear tube running into the ear canal with a mold inside to hold it in place. The new design helps to reduce the occlusion effect which was seen in other models.

Lastly is the bone anchored hearing aid. Similar to a cochlear implant, the patient has to undergo surgery so that the skull can be used as a pathway for sound to travel to the inner ear. If ever the patient has conductive losses, the BAHA bypasses the external auditory canal and middle ear, stimulating the functioning cochlea.

Should anyone who has hearing problems wear a hearing aid? Not for children below seven years of age because the ear is still growing so it will be too costly to make another one just to fit the patients ear. It is also not recommended for safety reasons because the hearing aid is made of hard plastic and this could be damaged when the child is playing and that could also cause injury to the childs ear canal.

There was a time that deaf people had to cup their hand behind the ear to hear what the other person was saying. The ear trumpet soon followed that until hearing aids were invented. The only problem with that was it was too big and this was usually worn on the chest or body. Fortunately, technology has made it smaller so no one will even notice that you are wearing it until they are up close.