Ear Infections/Regimen

Question
Hello, Mr. Weber;

I have 2 questions for you.  I am a 50 yr old WM.  I have been swimming for the past 2.5 years as an exercise regimen.  I enjoy swimming, and swam in H.S. for 3 yrs. (back with Fred Flintstone, of course!), so it is an ideal form of exercise for me.

1. - I seem to have recurring swimmers ear, or inner ear infection.  When it occurs, I stop swimming totally and treat it with antibiotics and drops.  But I was wondering if you had any "tips" to prevent this.  I have tried ear plugs - they tend to fall out.  Perhaps a better quality plug would help.  But besides that, are there any "tricks" you have learned to offset swimmers ear before it occurs?

2. - I swim a mile at a time.  Takes me about 45 min. (including (2) 2-min rests).  I usually swim at least twice a week, and try for 3.  I feel that anytime of excercise, particularly cardio, is beneficial, but is 2 or 3 times/week really doing me that much good, or should it be more often?

Thanks for your help and for volunteering for this forum.

- Mike

Answer
Mike--
I'll start with question 2 first.
You're right any type of exercise is good, if you could squeeze in a third and fourth day that would be even better, but even two or three is an ok place to be.  If you could do something every other day, that would be ideal(walking, biking, weights)just about anything to go together with your swimming.
As to the first question.
Swimmers ear is not really an infection that affects the inner ear, it's more outer ear related.  Ear plugs are a good start, but you need to work on getting the ear canal dried out when you are done swimming.  One of the best ways to do that is to pour a capful of alcohol into the ear canal to help draw out any water that remains in your ear canal after you are done swimming.
I hope this helps.
George