Why are you using vinegar in your ears? That's not typical.
this post was submitted on 25 Jan 2024
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Outer ear infection, I think it is a relatively common treatment?
Ffs go see a doctor. If this is truly what your doctor is recommending then find a better doctor.
If OP is in the US, I wouldn't assume that he has access to healthcare he can afford.
That's an old rural treatment -- peroxide and vinegar. They used that combo for everything
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Why are you using it as ear drops? Is that safe?
Fizzing with acids usually means they are reacting with a base. Not sure what base would be in your ear though.
Outer ear infection, I guess most ear drops for this are acetic acid? Dr. recommended it to help improve the ph or something.
Gotcha. Just making sure this is all Dr. approved. Vinegar can be more hazardous than some people realize. It is an acid after all.
Another user suggested it might be reacting with soap residue in your ear. This seems the most likely explanation to me.
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You're generalizing a specific phenomenon, and incorrect. Acid-base reactions only very rarely produce gases. The reactions produce heat and water, only in the case of bicarbonate being a base is a gas produced. This is because carbonic acid forms, which spontaneously decays into carbon dioxide. This is not a universal acid-base phenomenon. Soaps should not cause fizzing with vinegar.
Soap maybe?
This seems likely. Soap is a base and if you donβt rinse it all out there could be residue in there.
Yes! Earwax is slightly acidic (~6.1 pH) while acetic acid is more acidic (5% vinegar is ~2.5 pH) so the earwax acts as a base in this reaction.
ETA: there may be other things it is reacting with as well, like leftover soap, but this is how acid base reactions work. A chemical does not need to be above pH of 7 to act as a base. The more acidic compound will give its extra hydrogen to the less acidic compound.
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Something being less acidic does not mean that it acts like a base
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Bubbling occurs as a result of the production of a gas not as a result of an acid/base reaction in of itself. Baking soda and vinegar react to form CO2 (a gas) water and Sodium Acetate. The CO2 that is produced in that reaction is what causes bubbles NOT the acid/base reaction. eg. if you reacted Sodium Hydroxide and vinegar you will not observe bubbling because there is no gas being produced.
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Ear wax should not contain anything that should bubble as a result of the introduction of an acid.
Either what OP is observing isnt actually bubbling or there is something in their ear that shouldnt be.
βThereβs something in the ear that shouldnβt beβ
I would suggest that that something is vinegar.
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TIL! Thank you.
Please unlearn this. This is wrong.
As my doc was wont to say, "let's compare who's got more medical degrees."
Listen to a doc until another fucking doc says otherwise.
For sure, I donβt think the Dr. would risk their degree bullshitting, was just curious if the fizzing was normal and didnβt want to pay $15 to ask them!
Maybe earwax is basic? Why tf you putting vinegar in your ears?
Yes it's normal, I sometimes use that to disinfect my ears after diving and it sizzles a bit.
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Is it normal to use white vinegar as ear drops?
My dad used vinegar as ear drops to treat eczema based on doctors orders. It worked very well.
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About peroxide: This substance is used only when removing earwax; for this cleaning, rinsing is recommended, in which liquid is poured into the ear (it can also be injected with a clean syringe and slowly dripped into the ear canal). During this procedure, the patient should lie with his head turned on the side of the healthy ear.
The solution reacts until the peroxide begins to bubble. The remaining content flows out and is wiped off. In otitis media, peroxide should not be used without the knowledge of a doctor β if the inflammation is in the outer ear, it can be transmitted deep into it, leading to a more serious infection or even a life-threatening condition such as a brain abscess. Drip 3% hydrogen peroxide into the affected ear. It will painlessly dissolve impurities in the ear canal. When the liquid stops bubbling, the ear canal is wiped with a cotton swab, the patient is placed on the side of the washed ear, and the rest of the contents flows onto the cotton swab.
Donβt do this. If you have earwax build up go see an ENT. Youβre just risking your ear health and the possibility of giving your self permanent tinnitus or something worse.
Why are you talking about peroxide?
Probably because it's part of OP's original question.
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Yes...if you're a vampire.
Why didn't you stick with 3% peroxide to clean it, out of curiosity? Just none available, or am I the only crazy person who does this from time to time?
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