thinking of learning to dive, but the old ears

Skyfire · 05-10-2007, 01:36 PM

Hi, I was thinking of taking Diving lessons but I have had a life long problem with my ears. I have tubes placed in them to help them drain every couple of years, and there is always fluid in them constantly. That was my main concern and now when I come in here I see three other posts with the subject of ear problems and diving.

Here are my questions:

1) Given what I stated above, does it look like a losing battle for me to get certified for diving, considering you have to make one fairly deep dive to be certified?

2) Does anyone have a similar problem that they can overcome this with some product like a nasal spray?

3) With this in mind are there many places out there where 20 foot dives are worth it, because I can't see me going much further down than that with the way my ears are.

I love snokeling for years and was hoping I could go to the next level.

MgicTwnger · 05-10-2007, 03:21 PM

The only sensible answer to your questions is to see a doctor, preferably one familiar with dive medicine.
If your condition precludes diving, you won't be able to go down two feet, never mind twenty. I don't mean to sound harsh, but that's the way it is.

Scuba Mama · 05-10-2007, 08:57 PM

Based on what you said you would need to answer yes on your medical to ear problems. Your doctor would have to approval even training in the pool.

One of the very first thing new students learn is your will feel a great deal of pressure change during the first 1-33 feet of water. What happens is you add the pressure from the air and then the water and it doubles in the first 1-33 feet. That's why most people have trouble diving down to the bottom of a pool. It is also why new students have the greatest time learning to clear there ears during this change. If you proposing to dive at 20 feet or around there most of the time you can see it will be very hard on your ears.

If you really want to try see your doctor first and make sure you will not damage your earing no amount of scuba diving is worth the cost of hearing loss.