Ear Dryers - useful/worth getting?

[littleleemur]

Has anyone used Ear Dryers? Do you find them useful? Do you think it would help equalization for repetitive diving? or just for helping with ear infections?

[Papa Bear]

Yes and they do work! Ear beer works as well if not better, but with the liquid ban on planes the dryer is not a bad way to go! Until some body unplugs your battery charger on the boat to plug in their ear dryer before the next dive! :mad: :p

[The Publisher]

http://www.dryear.net/photos/SAH-007-2T.jpg

You know, the first time I saw those I thought; "Now there's a solution looking for a problem"...until the first time I got an earache in the tropics on a long dive trip.

Some French guy who was a pharmacist had a tiny bottle with an eyedropper in it containing lavender alcohol mixed with glycerine that worked overnight.....

[Papa Bear]

My experience in Fiji was really bad! The fijians like a lot of South Pacific islanders etc, raise their live stock, Pigs, along the streams for fresh water! Fiji has been having major rains and I was shore muck diving and bingo! The resort took three days to find ear drops, I had left mine at home, and they aren't easy to find! I was dripping vinegar from the kitchen into my ears and went to Vodka for the alcohol part! By the time I got a grip on them both were closed with infection! Took a week of Cipro twice a day to get it! I would have given my Left agh for a ear dryer or ear beer! Never again!

[littleleemur]

An Australian buddy of mine once mixed up some naturopathic solution, but a little heavy handed with the tea tree oil; it reeked! The lavander bit sounds much better.

I was looking for reviews online and several say that it craps out only after a a few uses. Does anyone have any experience with that? Plus, it's also $99 - not exactly cheap if it won't last.

[Papa Bear]

Advertisement, but seemed informative?

EARDRYER
1. Why should I keep my outer ear canals dry? Swimmers Ear Prevention

Basic biology teaches that all living things need water to grow. Bacteria & fungi can grow in a moist ear canal. By using Mack's® EarDryer to keep your outer ear canals dry, you eliminate the moisture media where germs can grow, thus decreasing the possibility of getting ear infections like swimmer's ear.

2. How does Mack's® EarDryer dry my ear canals?

The patented Mack's® EarDryer has a customized computer chip which directs the heater and fan to blow a regulated flow of warm air into the ear canal. The color-coded earpiece channels the warm air into your outer ear canal. Each earpiece is specially designed to exhaust the airflow from the ear canal along with the evaporating moisture. In most cases all the moisture trapped in your ear will evaporate in about a minute, leaving your outer ear canal dry and safe.

3. How often should I use Mack's® EarDryer?

As often as you feel a need to remove water from your ears. People who suffer from outer ear infections and swimmer's ear are advised to keep their ears dry as much as possible. Those engaged in water sports may dry their ear canals multiple times per day to prevent swimmer's ear. Hearing Aid wearers often dry the sweat and moisture in their ear canals multiple times per day in order to maintain the best fit.

4. How long does it take Mack's® EarDryer to dry my ears?

The EarDryer has been designed with an 80 second cycle time that has been shown to be effective in drying most ear canals. When using Mack's® EarDryer you will feel a cooling sensation as the water evaporates from your ear canal. Shortly after you feel the cooling evaporative process end, your ear canal should be dry. For most people, this will occur in about a minute. For persons with larger ear canals due to surgical procedures or other reasons, the process may require an additional drying cycle.

5. Does the EarDryer prevent swimmer's ear, surfer's ear and outer ear infections?

Mack's® EarDryer is an ear drying device and that's all it claims to be. We don't claim to prevent swimmer's ear, surfer's ear or any other outer ear infections. However, the EarDryer is designed to treat ear disorders by drying the ear canal. Medical articles that discuss the treatment of swimmer's ear, surfer's ear and outer ear infections emphasize the importance of keeping the outer ear canal dry. We guarantee that by properly using the EarDryer, your ear canals will be dried quickly and effectively.

6. Why does Mack's® EarDryer have different colored earpieces?

Each Mack's® EarDryer comes with five interchangeable, color-coded earpieces: blue, green, purple, pink and yellow. The different colors were designed so that each family member would have their own color-coded earpiece. This helps promote good hygiene and decreases the chance of spreading infections such as swimmer's ear; similar to brushing your teeth with your own toothbrush.

7. Why is Mack's® EarDryer better than other devices and methods?

The EarDryer emits warm air that is regulated close to your body temperature. This is important as your ears are the balance center of your body. By emitting warm air, the ear canals are dried. By regulating the temperature so that it reflects your body's temperature, you are ensured a comfortable and effective drying experience. Other methods such as a hair dryer or similar blowing device are not custom made to the sensitive requirements of your ears. Time, temperature, air flow, and noise levels are not regulated with other devices, which can render them unsafe. Ear drops, while effective, may be considered less comfortable. The simplicity combined with the safety and effectiveness of the EarDryer makes it a truly effective and superior ear drying device.

8. How many times can I operate the dryer before I need to recharge the battery?

With a fully charged battery, you will be able to operate the EarDryer about 50 times before needing to recharge the device. That equates to about 25 uses before recharging, assuming you dry both ears every time you use the EarDryer.

9. What type of battery does it use?

Mack's® EarDryer is equipped with a rechargeable lithium ion battery similar to those found in cell phones. This battery will last for years with regular use. Please recycle the spent battery according to your local recycling guidelines. New batteries can be purchased through us.

10. How do I know when recharging is complete and if I leave it plugged in overnight, will it hurt the battery?

A full charge of a completely dead battery will require 5 hours of recharging. However, in just two hours you can charge the battery to about 85% of a full charge, which will enable you to use the EarDryer for over 40 cycles. Because the battery is lithium ion, it does not have “memory” and can therefore be charged for varying lengths of time without damage.

11. Is the Mack's® EarDryer sanitary to use?

Yes. The only portion of the EarDryer that comes in contact with your ear is the removable earpiece. Because you can remove the earpiece it is very easy to clean after each use using warm soap and water or rubbing alcohol. In addition, your EarDryer comes equipped with 5 different color earpieces so that each member of your family can use their own earpiece.
Warning: If you are experiencing pain in your ears and you use Mack's® EarDryer, be sure to thoroughly clean the earpiece with hot, soapy water and rubbing alcohol before using it in your other ear. This will reduce the potential of infecting your healthy ear by using an unclean earpiece in your non-infected ear.

12. Is Mack's® EarDryer safe to use?

Yes. Mack's® EarDryer was designed by a medical doctor that specializes in treatment of the ear, known in the medical field as an Otolaryngologist or ENT. In addition, the American Academy of Otolaryngology website www.entnet.org/healthinfo/ears/swimmers.cfm suggests using a hair dryer to dry your ears. Certainly, if the Academy endorses the use of a hair dryer that is clearly not designed to dry the ear, that operates at much too high a temperature, blows at much too high a velocity, and can generate harmful noise levels in excess of 100 decibels, you can rest assured that the EarDryer is safe. Designed to precisely regulate the time, temperature, noise level and airflow through a custom designed, soft rubber exhausting tip, you can feel safe using Mack's® EarDryer.

13. Can young children use Mack's® EarDryer safely?

Yes, however children under 5-years of age should be supervised by an adult. Similar to teaching a young child to use a toothbrush, the key concerns with small children are:
1) Making sure they don’t apply unnecessary pressure and hurt themselves.
2) Making sure they use it long enough to actually dry the ear.
3) Making sure they don’t damage the device by dropping it or getting it wet.

14. If I have surfer's ear or an ear infection, like swimmer's ear, can I use Mack's® EarDryer?

You should first consult your physician any time you are having problems with your ears. Once you have done that, you can safely use the EarDryer to keep your ear canals dry by limiting the contact with the ear. With outer ear infections like swimmer's ear your ears will likely be sensitive. The lack of contact with the ear may require an additional drying cycle to completely dry the ears. Also, be sure to change and/or wash the earpiece with hot, soapy water and rubbing alcohol before using it in your other ear. This will reduce the potential of infecting your healthy ear by using an unclean earpiece in your non-infected ear.

15. Is the EarDryer safe for use on individuals with tubes in their ears?

Yes, Mack's® EarDryer is safe to use when middle ear ventilation tubes are in place because the EarDryer introduces only warm dry air into the ear canal. The EarDryer does not however dry the tubes themselves or any water that may have been introduced into the tubes. It only dries the outer ear canal itself.

16. Is Mack's® EarDryer safe for individuals who have perforated eardrums or mastoid bowls?

Yes, the EarDryer introduces only warm dry air into the middle ear or mastoid bowl, and it is the retained moisture that can cause problems for these individuals. However, the drying process may take more than one cycle to completely dry the ear canal.

17. Are there any side effects from using Mack's® EarDryer?

For most people there are no side effects. However, a very small number of people who have extremely sensitive ear canals and certain diseases of the inner ear may experience a brief episode of dizziness when using the EarDryer. All of these occur in individuals who have some sort of underlying and/or pre-existing disease: The most common is ACTIVE Menier's Disease (quiescent Menier's is very rarely effected) where the person is already dizzy, patients with perilymphatic fistulas, followed by patients who have had a surgical procedures where the labyrinth has been exposed to a greater degree than normal: canal up or down mastoidectomy, transmastoid endolymphatic shunt, and transmastoid removal of an acoustic neuroma. It is also possible, though highly unlikely, that dizziness from other metabolic diseases could be exacerbated. If you experience this dizziness, cease using the EarDryer immediately and please report the incident to our customer service department at 1-800-319-0476.

18. Will Mack's® EarDryer clean the wax out of my ears?

Mack's® EarDryer is not a cleaning device in any way. Its sole function is to remove trapped water from swimmers' ears, surfers' ears and moisture from the ear canal after showers, hearing aid use, exercise or any other activity that results in ear moisture.

19. Can I return Mack's® EarDryer if I don’t like it?

Yes. We offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If for ANY reason you do not like or want Mack's® EarDryer, just return everything in its original condition and packaging, along with your receipt to the place of purchase.

20. How long will Mack's® EarDryer last?

The Mack's® EarDryer was designed to last for years with proper use and handling. Our manufacturer’s warranty is good for 1 year, but Mack's® EarDryer will easily outlast the warranty with normal use.

21. Do I need more than one Mack's® EarDryer for each member of the family?

Unlike other devices on the market, Mack's® EarDryer is equipped with interchangeable earpieces. Each unit comes complete with 5 earpieces. As a result you only NEED one EarDryer unit to service the entire family, making it the most convenient and cost effective method available. However, many swimmers, hearing aid users, and boat enthusiasts find it useful to have one at home and one in their place of recreation such as in their gym bag, on their boat, near the pool, etc.

22. What are the earpieces made of and do they contain latex?

The earpieces are made of silicone and do not contain any latex.

23. Is Mack's® EarDryer covered by medical insurance?

No. We're sorry, but there is no insurance coverage for Mack's® EarDryer at this time.
If this changes, we'll update this answer promptly.

[Papa Bear]

Here are some reviews! Amazon.com: Sahara DryEar SAH-007C Portable/Rechargeable Ear Dryer: Health & Personal Care (http://www.amazon.com/Sahara-DryEar-SAH-007C-Portable-Rechargeable/dp/B000EUH82E)

[aquamaniac]

A drop of alcohol in each ear seems to work pretty good

[scuba-cat]

Diving a lot in pools (training dives) where little kiddies also do their swimming lessons and also in Texas lakes we always use our home made "swim ear" because we use it a lot and it's cheaper to make yourself. Go to Walgreens and get a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol and then to the local supermarket for standard white vinegar. Mix 1/3 of all three and get yourself a small dropper bottle. Use 4-5 drops after every dive and make sure it goes into the ear. It works great for us!