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Related Experiment Videos

Swimming with earplugs: are they worthwhile?

J R Cullen1

  • 1ENT Department, Tyrone County Hospital, Omagh, Northern Ireland.

Clinical Otolaryngology and Allied Sciences
|June 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary

Cotton earplugs protected children's ears from water during swimming in 93.3% of cases. Otoscopic examination can detect even small amounts of water in the ear canal.

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Area of Science:

  • Otolaryngology
  • Pediatric Health
  • Preventive Medicine

Background:

  • Water exposure in the ear canal can lead to discomfort and infections.
  • Effective methods for preventing water entry into the ear canal during activities like swimming are important for children's ear health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of cotton wool earplugs coated with petroleum jelly in preventing water entry into children's ears during swimming.
  • To determine the otoscopic detectability of small volumes of water in the ear canal.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 30 children who used cotton wool and petroleum jelly earplugs while swimming.
  • Otoscopic examinations were performed before and after swimming.
  • A separate experiment with volunteers assessed the otoscopic detection of instilled water (0.05 ml or 0.1 ml) in ear canals.

Main Results:

  • 6.6% of earplugs were lost during swimming, with water entering the ears.
  • 93.3% of earplugs remained in place, and the ears were found to be dry upon otoscopy.
  • Otoscopic examination successfully detected as little as 0.05 ml of water in the ear canal in 9 out of 10 cases.

Conclusions:

  • Cotton wool earplugs coated with petroleum jelly offer significant protection against water entry during swimming for children.
  • Otoscopy is a reliable method for detecting even minimal amounts of water in the ear canal, aiding in the assessment of water exposure.

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