THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 12, 1996 TAG: 9605100228
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Jack Dempsey
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
The ear opening is intended to allow passage only of sound waves.
Most ear problems happen when that basic rule is broken and ``foreign'' bodies - liquid and solid, living and inanimate - enter the ear.
Unwelcome objects find their ways into ears everywhere. But the beach is a particularly good place, with whipping winds and rough surf carrying sand, shell fragments and refuse of all types.
How to respond depends on the nature of the object that ends up in your ear, says Dr. William M. Crutchfield, an ear, nose and throat specialist with offices in the Regional Medical Center and Elizabeth City.
Never try to remove objects or liquid with cotton swabs, match sticks or similar instruments. They may embed objects even more deeply in wax or shove them back against the ear drum, possibly causing severe damage.
For small objects like sand particles or gnats stuck in the wax, gently flush them out with warm water in a rubber ball syringe. Then dry the ear with rubbing alcohol or brand-name drying drops.
Larger insects such as moths or roaches present an interesting challenge. They are too large to turn around to escape, and they can't back up. Their frantic squirming to free themselves can be unpleasant for both children and adults.
For big bugs, fill the ear with an oily substance like mineral or baby oil. It plugs the insect's breathing pores, suffocating it in a few minutes. Then drain the ear.
If the dead insect does not flow out with the oil, flush with warm water as above. Failing that, have a physician remove it.
The ear-plugging problem is most complex with the startling array of large items that find their way into ears each summer - toy parts, erasers, seeds and food particles, to name a few.
Removal of these objects with tweezers is a delicate and potentially dangerous task. Attempt it only if the object is clearly visible and reachable, the tweezers have blunt heads (most tweezers have sharp or pointed heads) and you have a cooperative subject (no squirming kids).
If you are even remotely unsure, seek medical care. The forceps and suction equipment physicians use are much safer than anything in the home.
Another common problem at the beach is ``swimmer's ear,'' an infection of the outer ear canal. Although the infection frequently begins with submersion in water, any source of water - even a shower - can start it.
Most ears with water dry out by themselves, but occasionally the water becomes trapped in the ear and the skin becomes soggy. This is an ideal habitat for bacteria and fungi. Swelling and a blocked feeling develop, and the ear may itch.
As the infection progresses, pain increases and a milky liquid may drain from the ear. At this stage, medical treatment is essential to prevent permanent damage.
Fortunately, it doesn't have to reach that stage.
When the ear feels blocked, instill some antiseptic eardrops and drain. Your local pharmacist can provide you with inexpensive drops without a prescription.
If necessary, you can make your own drops. Both white vinegar and rubbing alcohol have antiseptic qualities. They can be used separately or combined into one solution.
Rubbing alcohol has the additional benefit of absorbing water, which makes it a drying agent. Your local pharmacist can provide you with an inexpensive dropper and bottle that fit easily into your beach bag.
If you swim often and experience water blockage frequently, your physician may recommend placing oily drops in your ears before you swim.
Finally, if your eardrum has ever been punctured, perforated or injured in any way, consult an ear doctor before swimming or using ear drops.
Serious ear problems at the beach are infrequent. But pain, drainage or hearing loss should receive immediate medical attention. MEMO: Jack Dempsey has a doctorate in public health from Johns Hopkins
University and has published two books on health care. His columns are
based on interviews with area health care providers.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff illustration by John Earle
by CNB