Stopped up ears after certification dive

[teejay58]

I have ear troubles. I have to descend very slowly because it's hard for me to equalize. And the same thing on ascending. If I come up a little too fast, I get vertigo, a most unpleasant sensation. I think I prefer the pain of descent to vertigo. At least I can tell which way is up so i can relieve the pain. In any case, the ear plugs you're talking about, were extremely beneficial to me. Doc's Pro Plugs. They have tiny holes in them that will eventually let the water in so the plug doesn't get pushed into your ear canal. But they let the water in slowly. This gives you more time to equalize your ears against air which, ya know, is not quite as dense as water. I can now descend like a normal person. I still get vertigo on ascending unless i'm pretty careful.

I think I got this link here on scubaboard. It is excellent, though. And it's helped me find new ways to equalize.

Prevention of Middle Ear Barotrauma

If you have no trouble equalizing, and you're getting problems with your inner ear, then equalize more often. And do it before you feel pain. Good luck.

 

[DandyDon]

It is certainly possible I have misinterpreted the diagnosis. I am reading off the sheet of paper I was given on which the diagnosis is written "otitis externa, eustachian tube congestion." The NP told me my eardrums are intact.

I know I can get some ear plugs that don't let the water in as fast. Would it be worth me looking into that?

Regards,
Michael

Since you read "otitis externa, eustachian tube congestion" off of the diagnosis sheet, I don't guess you misunderstood. I am not a medical pro, but TSandM is, seemingly a very good one and a very good diver as well, and since she said they "do not necessarily go together," then they don't. Perhaps you could have both conditions; or your doc might be wrong...?

I'm sure there are ENTs there who are familiar with scuba ear problems, but I wonder how fast you could get to see one? Got a few questions...

1: What ear drops exactly are you taking?

2: Are you taking anything else?

3: Have you had any pain or do you have pain shortly before time for drops?

4: Do the drops seem to help?

The vented plugs have helped some with equalizing problems, if that is part of your issue. Did you watch the video?

Swimmers ear or otitis externa is an infection that responds to antibiotics and is preventable with the mix I suggested.

 

[LiveBait]

This is a great thread... Thans for all the helpful information!!

 

[flots am]

It is certainly possible I have misinterpreted the diagnosis. I am reading off the sheet of paper I was given on which the diagnosis is written "otitis externa, eustachian tube congestion." The NP told me my eardrums are intact.

I know I can get some ear plugs that don't let the water in as fast. Would it be worth me looking into that?

Regards,
Michael

With only 4 or 5 OW dives behind you, unless the water was really nasty or you're prone to otitis, it's much more likely that the actual problem is that you simply didn't equalize properly, did a little damage and the doc really didn't know what he was looking at.

Ear plugs aren't necessary and you'll be much better off learning how to equalize properly. You have to learn this anyway, so the plugs are just a waste of money.

Slower, more controlled descents and learning how to easily and reliably equalize the pressure outside your head with the pressure inside your head will make you much happier than a gimmic.

The videos and PDFs above are well worth the time. I'd definitely recommend viewing them.

flots.

 

[mallbritton]

Since you read "otitis externa, eustachian tube congestion" off of the diagnosis sheet, I don't guess you misunderstood. I am not a medical pro, but TSandM is, seemingly a very good one and a very good diver as well, and since she said they "do not necessarily go together," then they don't. Perhaps you could have both conditions; or your doc might be wrong...?

I think it may be a bit of both. Just to be clear, I did not see a doctor. I saw a nurse practitioner in the emergency room at my local VA (which is my primary care facility), this is where I was told to go so the VA could see me as soon as possible. She did tell me to make another appointment with my doctor if the condition has not cleared up in a week, which it does not seem to be doing.

I'm sure there are ENTs there who are familiar with scuba ear problems, but I wonder how fast you could get to see one? Got a few questions...

1: What ear drops exactly are you taking?

2: Are you taking anything else?

3: Have you had any pain or do you have pain shortly before time for drops?

4: Do the drops seem to help?

This is right off the box of the ear drops: Neomycin and Polymyxin B sulfates and Hydrocortisone Otic. What a mouthful. I'm was not prescribed any other medicine for this. So far the drops do not seem to be helping but it has only been 3 full days, and I'm supposed to use them for 7. I did have some pain Saturday night, after the first day of diving but none since. I was able to easily clear my ears for the dives on Sunday, although I had a little discomfort but nothing extreme.

I have not had a chance to watch the video you linked to yet, but I have downloaded it so I'll have it and can watch it when I finally get an hour free.

Regards,
Michael

 

[mallbritton]

On the plus side I did pick up my c-card today. Boy do I look goofy in the picture they took of me. My drivers license picture looks better.

Regards,
Michael

 

[TSandM]

Well, if you have middle ear barotrauma as a result of your certification dives, which is EXTREMELY common and would be my off-the-cuff diagnosis on the basis of your description of your original symptoms, then the ear drops won't make any difference at all.

I'm sorry you're a VA patient. It does make getting a second evaluation much more difficult and slower. But I think that's what you need.

 

[mallbritton]

Well, if you have middle ear barotrauma as a result of your certification dives, which is EXTREMELY common and would be my off-the-cuff diagnosis on the basis of your description of your original symptoms, then the ear drops won't make any difference at all.

I'm sorry you're a VA patient. It does make getting a second evaluation much more difficult and slower. But I think that's what you need.

If my injury is indeed middle ear barotrauma can anything be done to help? Or do I just have to wait for it to heal on it's own?

Regards,
Michael

 

[DandyDon]

I think it may be a bit of both. Just to be clear, I did not see a doctor. I saw a nurse practitioner in the emergency room at my local VA (which is my primary care facility), this is where I was told to go so the VA could see me as soon as possible. She did tell me to make another appointment with my doctor if the condition has not cleared up in a week, which it does not seem to be doing.

This is right off the box of the ear drops: Neomycin and Polymyxin B sulfates and Hydrocortisone Otic. What a mouthful. I'm was not prescribed any other medicine for this. So far the drops do not seem to be helping but it has only been 3 full days, and I'm supposed to use them for 7. I did have some pain Saturday night, after the first day of diving but none since. I was able to easily clear my ears for the dives on Sunday, although I had a little discomfort but nothing extreme.

I have not had a chance to watch the video you linked to yet, but I have downloaded it so I'll have it and can watch it when I finally get an hour free.

Regards,
Michael

Thanks! That's an antibiotic-steroid mix designed to kill the bacteria bloom of swimmers ear/otitis externa while the steroid helps with pain and maybe swelling. There are other, similar meds, one containing Cipro instead of Neomycin which I have also used, but the bottle I have on hand is the same as yours except in Spanish - picked up OTC in Cozumel, as I just don't like to be without.

I had a case so painful once that I was afraid to go to another room in the house without carrying it in case of a pain attack. I'm a wuss. After a few cases, I became diligent about treating my ears often with the alcohol-vinegar mix and have eliminated the problem from post-diving pretty well, but did have a case a few months ago possibly associated with my hay fever?

My home bud's alcohol-vinegar mix is in a bottle shaped like his defog bottle. It's funny to see him stick the wrong stuff in his ear after a dive. :laughing: Then applying the right mix seems to still work but he needs to get a new bottle. Alcohol-vinegar mix is virtually free, but he wastes expensive defog.

As a speculating layman only - on all of this I don't think that "some pain Saturday night, after the first day of diving" would have anything to do with a bacteria bloom, as those generally take more time to grow. My home bud also had issues equalizing both days of OW certification, barely finishing but with trauma - and he's always had problems since. He uses antihistamine & decongestant OTC meds like many divers on dive trips, irrigates often with a Netti-Pot, and uses techniques from the video a full week prior to a trip and during. We all have to deal with both risks, him more so with the equalizing.

Keep using the drops as prescribed of course. I speculate that you needed an oral antibiotic too, but your body may heal itself by the time you get to see a real physician. I do think that antihistamine & decongestant OTC meds would help with the healing, but you should probly call the nurse or pharmacist to ask first. Sorry, but I don't think you got very good care.

On the plus side I did pick up my c-card today. Boy do I look goofy in the picture they took of me. My drivers license picture looks better.

Regards,
Michael

For a large amount of money, you can get a replacement card with a pic of your choosing, ordered online even - but don't worry. Almost all look bad, and after a while, operators seldom look at cards. I used to go to a dance hall with my daughter & son-in-law that allowed minors in with a different wrist band so carded everyone in line as policy, even me at my age. I'd give them a Padi card. They'd look at it, then me, and shrug.

 

[flots am]

I think it may be a bit of both. Just to be clear, I did not see a doctor. I saw a nurse practitioner in the emergency room at my local VA (which is my primary care facility), this is where I was told to go so the VA could see me as soon as possible. She did tell me to make another appointment with my doctor if the condition has not cleared up in a week, which it does not seem to be doing.

Some VA hospitals are world-class facilities for the problems that they're setup to treat, however like most government run enterprises, if you walk in with something they don't see a lot of, it's pretty much a coin toss whether you'll get to see anybody who knows much about what you have.

If you walked into the ER with a gunshot wound, drug overdose, heart attack or been in an accident, they probably would have been right on it.

Generally, it will heal by itself, however you really do want to get checked out by someone with experience with ear damage to make sure you didn't actually injure it more than you think. Also they'll sometimes prescribe meds to make it less annoying while it heals.

I'd call back tomorrow and see if you can get an appointment with an ENT there. They're almost certain to have at least one in the building, and it's likely that he/she would have much more of a clue than the ER NP.

If you need some help with this, you can Call Diver's Alert Network and ask if they can give you a hand finding the right contact at the VA. The problem isn't that the VA is actually incompentent, it's that it's such a huge enterprise that it's nearly impossible to gain access to the right staff just by walking in the door.

flots.