ear plugs for low board diving

Question
My daughter is new to diving and is prone to swimmer's ear. We are currently using the drying drops after she dives (5 days a week, twice a day some days), but can they cause any long lasting harm with such heavy use? I bought her some ear plugs that were supposed to be easy to use and make it able for her to hear her coaches, Alpine Swim Safe (https://www.alpinehearingprotection.com/earplugs/swimsafe/), not realizing until after they arrived, they are not recommended for deeper than 1m. What is the risk of using those ear plugs with low board diving? Do you have any suggestions for a safe product?

Answer
Rachel -

I am not qualified to answer the part about the use of the commercial ear drops you are using or the ear plugs because I have no formal medical training. What I can tell you is what I have had divers use in the past that has worked in most cases of swimmers ear. These suggestions are more holistic and homeopathic using naturopathy as a solution.

After a practice and at home, the diver puts a small drop of isopropyl alcohol in the infected ear to dry out the small amount of water that is the cause of the problem. That is followed by a small drop of common white vinegar that kills the fungus that is causing the pain. Because these are two natural products, I have never seen a case where it was detrimental to use on a regular basis.

The second thing I had divers use was a paraffin wax that molds into the outer ear. This ensures that no water can get into the inner ear. This is followed by the diver wearing a very tight fitting swim cap that won't come off in mid air or upon entry. Hearing is greatly reduced but the inner ear problem is eliminated because no water can get into the inner ear. If she can't hear her coach as well as the other method you were using, it is a small price to pay because if the ear problem persists, then she'll have to take time away from the pool until it heals.

The best solution is prevention and a daily routine of making sure even the smallest amount of water is not present in her ear will help her continue diving. Hope all this helps.