I don't get the ear thing but I don't think it's uncommon. I met a young lady last week who claimed she couldn't swim without earplugs. She said the feeling of

I don't get the ear thing but I don't think it's uncommon. I met a young lady last week who claimed she couldn't swim without earplugs. She said the feeling of water entering her ears freaked her. I told her to treat it as a phobia, since she had such a strong aversion. Water entering the ear can cause temporary disequilibrium. But once the water in the ear heats to body temperature that disappears. Of course if you have a hole in the eardrum you should see a doctor before considering swimming. To clean the ears after swimming and to prevent ear infection use a few drops of either 1. a half-and-half mixture of alcohol and vinegar or 2. wine. Put a few drops into each ear, then turn your head on the side to drain completely. The alcohol reduces the surface tension of the H20 and reduces risk of infection; the vinegar helps prevent fungal infections.