Anyone else ever experienced this ear problem?

[rdmoody13]

When I was doing my open water certification dives, it was during my first experiences as a diver. On my third and final dive of the last day, I got to about 5ft under water and my left ear made some sort of a popping sound, and then it sounded in that ear like water was rushing in and it became painful. I got out of the water and tried to get the water out of my ear with no success, but the pain started to go away, so I figured I'd try it again..cause it was my last dive!! So, as soon as I got back in and put my head under about 5ft..the sound of rushing water and pain returned... but this time I just sucked it up and finished the dive. My ear didn't get better for about two weeks after that...

I'm not sure why this happened, because I never had any equalization problems during the last day and a half of diving, but I thought perhaps it could have been due to exposing myself to so much diving in such a short time when my body had never experienced it before. Needless to say, no one around here knows what I'm talking about, and I'm scared to death that it will happen when I go diving again, and I'm even more scared that I will lose my hearing.

Any advice, or experience with this?
Thank you very much!

 

[Doc]

Any advice, or experience with this?
QUOTE]

Go to an ENT Doctor. Yes.

 

[lorien]

Time to go see a good ENT, preferrably one with some dive knowledge but any ENT will do to start with. You may have ruptured your eardrum. Get to the doctor ASAP. With proper treatment and time it will heal but I would not delay. Only way to know for sure is to have a specialist check it out.

 

[matts1w]

Needless to say, no one around here knows what I'm talking about, and I'm scared to death that it will happen when I go diving again, and I'm even more scared that I will lose my hearing.

Any advice, or experience with this?
Thank you very much!

Your instructor had never heard of this? An injury like this is described exactly like this in several of the PADI texts...

You are pretty much describing word for word the symptoms of a ruptured eardrum:
1. Pop
2. Cold water rushes in ear
3. Some vertigo
4. Equalization problems go away

Of course,no one here can diagnose you but a doctor, but if it were me I would get an appointment ASAP.

 

[rdmoody13]

just to clarify...

after the two weeks of pain and having that plugged sensation in my ear.. it all went away. I am able to hear just fine and it's like it never happened... which is why it is so strange to me.

if I had ruptured my ear drum, I would have noticed a difference somehow. Went to my doctor and he stated that my ear drum didn't appear to be ruptured and that I had an ear infection as a likely result of the excess moisture...

thank you all for your quick responses... any other ideas?

 

[Scuba_Steve]

It's very possible you could have had a small rupture, and even one that can't be readily seen, especially if you have an infection and it's already a couple week past the event.

I had a good rupture once, and it was fully healed and ready to be dove with after 3 weeks. Actually healed in 2 weeks, but I sat out another week to be extra safe. Keep all moisture out of the ear, and no Q-tips either. Just leave it alone and let it heal with your doctors help. Do all the right things immediately and you're better off for it. Other than slight pain (after the initial ouch that is) I had no discomfort or hearing loss whatsoever the entire time. Hearing loss is common, but depending on the location and severity, it may not always be there. Yes, I learned a fair bit about ears that month

The thing to NOT have done was to go diving again right away, and I fail to understand the idea of sucking it up being in the same sentence as being fearful of losing your hearing.

Your instructors should all know this stuff.

 

[nerfboy]

just to clarify...

Went to my doctor and he stated that my ear drum didn't appear to be ruptured and that I had an ear infection as a likely result of the excess moisture...

thank you all for your quick responses... any other ideas?

You need a new doc. A rupture is not always vis by the naked eye. He should have recommend you run the proper tests on your ear.

 

[CWMurf]

I agree, you need a new doctor. One familiar with dive medicine. I have experienced similar circumstances. If not a rupture, at the very least barotrauma. Your ear became infected as a result of the fluid built up inside. If not from a rupture then from weeping caused by the preassures in the middle ear.

Once you are healed properly you must begin learning how to open your eustation tubes. It took me a while to do it but I can now open and hold them open at will. I still have to actively equalize but I no longer have the pain upon acent or decent, or the infection afterward.

When I first started diving my depth changes had to be VERY gradual or else I had problems. Now I can hit the bottom with my fastest buddy safely and painlessly. It took me about a month to get my tubes to open good but if you work at it regularly you can do it.

Best of luck to you and safe diving! :shades:

 

[rdmoody13]

Have you guys heard anything about the "dive earplugs" that will equalize?

 

[Xanthro]

You should have the eardrum tested, but what happens sometimes is you get an air bubble in the ear and the compression causes pain. Oddly, when this happens to me, it feels like water is pouring into my ear, when in fact there is less water. Tipping the ear up and pulling the hood away allows the air to escape and the squeeze goes away.

If you dive with air in your outer ear you'll get squeeze and it is not pleasent.