dannyboyslim

Hi all,

Last month I went to Sicily and had my first ever Scuba Try Dive, and experienced a problem with my left ear.
I diligently tried to equalise as we descended, but found that although my right ear cleared fine, my left ear didn't, and I started to get sharp pain from the water pressure. After two more attempts to descend I managed to clear my left ear sucessfully all the way down, and really enjoyed the limited time I had even though it was only about five metres down. I don't think anything popped as I didn't get any water down the back of my throat.

However, a month on, and I still have a problem with my left ear.
When I first exited the water that day, I had completely lost the hearing in my ear but this was due to water inside, which gradually cleared over the next hour, though for a while I was terrified I had blown something in my ear because of the pressure!
But I was left with an odd achy feeling which is still occasionally present now, five weeks after the dive.

The best way to describe it is :

occasionally tickly
sometimes achy
feels located quite deep inside the ear canals.
Occasional feeling of fluid moving deep inside the canal when I make large movements of my head (normally vertically up and down)

I've seen the doctor who said my ears were "a bit congested" and prescribed Flixonase spray which is a anti-histamine spray which he said would help uncongest everything, and to keep performing the equalisation procedure to help clear them, but I just thought I'd post up on here and see if anyone else has had a similar problem. Googling "ear pain diving" brings up so many different options!

Cheers

Dan

Scuba Mama

I am glad you saw a doctor. Ear pain is no fun. I once experienced reverse block (pain going back up). It over six months to heal, I had a small puncture in the ear drum. Was your doctor familiar with dive medicine and was he and Ears Nose and Throat doctor? You may want to seek advise of a doctor familiar with dive medicine. You found a lot on ears and diving because there is so much that can go way and for varies reasons. Good luck with you issue.

Resqdivemedic

I would see if your primary doctor can refer you to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. I would also contact DAN for advise. They can also give referals to docs in your area with dive medicine backgrounds. As you are aware, there are many problems which can devlop within the ear. I would get this checked before there is any perminant damage and you can no longer dive. I have one question, did you at any time get dizzy, either during the dive or any time after?

dannyboyslim

I don't think I got dizzy, not noticeably anyway as I was concentrating so much on the actual experience (and worrying as well!).

I've still got an ache in the ear, but I've no longer got the "water in the ear" feeling I had occasionally when moving my head, so think maybe whatever's wrong is slowly healing. Will be going back to the doctors soon.

finfan

I used to have ear problems. Not anymore. Now I use a mask with ear cups. Yes, these cups cover my ear; provide an air space instead of water. It gives me dry ears and equalizing is easier than it was pushing air against water. I also and sometimes together I will use ear plugs. Not regular plugs but the ones made for diving. They have a hole in them that allow you to equalize. I have dove many times with this configuration and always have dry ears, easy time equalizing and no more visits to the doctor. I may look a little goofy ... but at least I don’t have the head ticks after a dive... Works for me anyways.

MgicTwnger

All good advice. I would just emphasize: call DAN. They can steer you to a good doc in your area who really knows dive medicine

__________________
I am not the one who needs mental help. I just need to vent.

glynneco

That's the nice thing about this board. Nobody cares how you look!

I use Doc's ear plugs. They help keep out the water and let me equalize

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Is that the bottom of the quarry or is the vis just really bad today?

finfan

Same as me. I made sure that they fit, too. My dive shop had all the sizes and test plugs to try on. Of course, they were sanitized before/after each trial fit. The first pair I tried, I thought fit. Then I tried another smaller size then ... that fit better. Fit is everything, please do not be embarrassed to try them on in the shop. When they fit correctly they work as designed and stay in place. I have not lost a single plug after many, many dives. FYI, The mask I use is called ProMask -- That's the mask with the ear cups.

Kev Martin

One of my DMs uses a ProMask - Oceanic, I think, and he swears by it.

I was really suprised by the introduction of these new ear plugs. Old and bold divers were always told never to plug their ears and I was a little sceptical when one of our long time divers used them whilst we were out in the Red Sea. She was always having problems with her ears and, all through the week, she kept reporting back on how much of a difference these ear plugs had made.

That said, I would certainly add my recommendation on talking to a medical expert on maybe ascertaining why you had the problem in the first place before you go ahead and look at possible solutions.

Good luck.

MgicTwnger

Live and learn, I've never seen (or mabye just didn't notice) anyone using them, but if it works, it works.

But old, bold divers? You can be one or the other, but not both. I'll take old.

__________________
I am not the one who needs mental help. I just need to vent.