Without ear plugs I cannot swim... I get dizzy everytime that I tried....

I use Mack's ...

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Luiz Eng

I wear earplugs, and for one great reason. I used to spend several minutes after every swim doing the water dance. You know...head to one side, and hunched over hopping on both feet while chanting, "comeoutcomeoutcomeout!". Um. Yeah. That was a pain. With earplugs there is never any water in there. No problem ever. I swear by them, bot to mention if you start getting ear infections.

As to what kind. Um. Anything will work. I have some (sorry don't know the brand or anything) that are pink silicon-based plugs that are kind of like firm silly-putty, but they retain their shape. Bright color helps if you loose one in the pool. Lost one during the race, and boy did it suck.Pulling a race cap over your ears is supposed to work too, but I still ended up running into T1 while hopping on one leg trying to shake out the water before the bike. Not fun. Not fast. I'm sure water in the ear must somehow mess with inner-ear balance too.

I used earplugs for years. I had a bad hearing problem that continues to be pretty annoying. If I got an infection in the other ear it was a big problem.

After using the earplugs the problem didn't go away. I used ear drops, the whole nine yards. No luck.

When I stopped using earplugs then I had no problems. -Haven't had since. I still use them for cold water, open water swims, but I don't use them in the pool anymore.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I got an ear infection last summer and haven't been able to swim w/o plugs since then w/o getting dizzy. I tried a few kinds and the silicone ones work best for me. They are all pretty similar, but the TYRs seem to work slightly better for me. They still leak once in while though.

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What a drag it is getting old. -- Stones

never used them - proabaly have been swimming an average of three times a week for the past 30 years.

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http://www.clevetriclub.com

rob reddy

I've never used earplugs for swimming. I just got a Swimp3 player. I'm not quite sure how to fairly describe it - I'm still in lust with it. It is a mp3 player that you wear when swimming. It doesn't use earphones like a traditional mp3 player, but it does come with ear plugs that are optional to eliminate outside noise. I have been using the plugs for about a week and they are fine. I don't think I would use them for any other reason than it really helps amplify the skull thumping noise that I now spice up my laps with.

Ouch.....

Ear infections can be pretty nasty. What happens? In many cases, the infection occurs in the middle ear: it is a bacteria infection that is caused by your ear becoming too clean. Swimming, washes the protective wax out of your ear making it susceptable to bacterial infection. Some alcohol/glycerin based over the counter drying products can be effective for treatment and drying.

I would recommend seeing a doctor.

Once the infection has been treated, a daily application of a small amount of vaseline will help prevent the over washing of the ear.

Cheers,

I've never used earplugs, so I can't help you on that end. But, my ears used to bother me after I would swim (don't know if it was in infection or not...but it hurt like hell). I read here on slowtwitch to put a mixture of half vinegar and half rubbing alcohol in my ears after swimming. I tried this, put a little in a dropper bottle and keep it in my swim bag. I now use this everytime I swim and viola, no more ear problems.

Jeff

I use earplugs when swimming in open water... I get dizzy if I don't. I use the soft silicone kind that you roll into a ball and smoosh over the ear. The rubber earplugs that look like a stack of discs don't seem to work for me at all.

I don't use ear plugs in the pool, but I almost always use ear drops to clear the water after I'm done with a workout.

-Mark Rebuck, http://www.markrebuck.com/

Based on some of the previous threads, I thought I should mention that my doctor advised against using drying agents (eardrops) on a regular basis after swimming. Although she didn't say it was super risky, she thought it was potentially not good for the ear. I'm just passing this advice along - do with it as you wish.

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What a drag it is getting old. -- Stones