Austin Dive Doctor

[ZenSquirrel]

I seem to have developed a funky ear infection that I think is related to a minor ear squeeze. Does anybody know a good dive doctor in the Austin area?

 

[tx.lakerats]

and ask them to give you the name of an ENT in your area.

I did that acouple of months ago for the DFW area and they were very nice about it.

 

[PurduEE]

Saint David's Medical Center
919 East 32nd Street
Austin, TX 78705
512-476-7111
Dr. Gary Mailman

He's runs the hyperbaric facitilies at St. David's and he's a diver. Almost everybody I've ever know who called DAN got forwarded to Dr. Mailman, regardless of malady...

 

[ZenSquirrel]

PurduEE once bubbled...
Saint David's Medical Center
919 East 32nd Street
Austin, TX 78705
512-476-7111
Dr. Gary Mailman

He's runs the hyperbaric facitilies at St. David's and he's a diver. Almost everybody I've ever know who called DAN got forwarded to Dr. Mailman, regardless of malady...

Correct! This was the only info DAN could provide. I called them and they cannot look at a busted ear. The hunt continues.

Best guess to date is that I have a ruptured ear drum. I'm going to see a general physician Thursday morning. They are the only person that I could get in to see before next week.

The weird thing is that I do not remember rupturing anything. I did not have any pain with sudden relief, vertigo or anything. I went to bed with a slight ear infection (no worse than any swimmers ear I've had) and woke up with a crusty ear and some hearing loss (mostly on the higher frequencies).

Nobody in Austin seems to know who to go to. This is VERY annoying.

 

[scubatexastony]

I went to bed with a slight ear infection (no worse than any swimmers ear I've had) and woke up with a crusty ear and some hearing loss (mostly on the higher frequencies).

do you have swelling in the outer ear canal and touchy/sore to touch? I'm asking 'cause last year I had an outer ear infection and my doc said it almost looked like pollups (swellings) in my ear canal.....twas a bit crusty too... Any ways, she gave me an eardrop called CORTANE-B (Aqueous) external ear drops.... was good to go in 2 days....but she said wait a week....good medicine, but it's prescription...

tony

 

[Todd]

Hi ZenSquirrel:

I recently had the ear infection that would not go away. I finally was referred to Dr. Jerry Bordelon by one of my Open Water instructors, who also is a doctor. I like him, and he did a great job with my ears. While not a "diving doctor," he does have experience working with divers.

Contact info:

Jerry Bordelon
3705 Medical Parkway, Suite 310
Austin, TX 78705
(512) 458-6391

I hope this helps.

Todd.

 

[ZenSquirrel]

scubatexastony once bubbled...


do you have swelling in the outer ear canal and touchy/sore to touch? I'm asking 'cause last year I had an outer ear infection and my doc said it almost looked like pollups (swellings) in my ear canal.....twas a bit crusty too... Any ways, she gave me an eardrop called CORTANE-B (Aqueous) external ear drops.... was good to go in 2 days....but she said wait a week....good medicine, but it's prescription...

tony

I don't know about swelling the the outer canal but if I give a gentil tug on my ear lobe I can tell that the canal is sensitive.

This gives me some new hope. I need to give it up though. I'm just stressing myself out over this when there is nothing I can do until I get a Dr. to have a look.

Thanks for the info!

 

[ZenSquirrel]

Todd once bubbled...
Hi ZenSquirrel:

I recently had the ear infection that would not go away. I finally was referred to Dr. Jerry Bordelon by one of my Open Water instructors, who also is a doctor. I like him, and he did a great job with my ears. While not a "diving doctor," he does have experience working with divers.

Contact info:

Jerry Bordelon
3705 Medical Parkway, Suite 310
Austin, TX 78705
(512) 458-6391

I hope this helps.

Todd.

Thanks for the info. I already had to line up an appointment with a Dr. recommend as an all around good guy. If he does not know what to do then I'll give Jerry a shot.

It has been all day and this is the first Dr. that anybody has pointed me toward. Thanks just for that!

 

[carlislere]

The two times I have busted an ear drum I went to my GP who referred me to an ENT. Plan on at least 8 weeks of beach duty if it is busted. Hope it is not!

 

[ZenSquirrel]

It looks like a regular external ear infection possibly with some fluid in my middle ear from an ear squeeze. Doc says I should be up and running in a week.

So far the best theory I've heard is that I already had some germs in my ear then dove. The fresh, warm water gave the germs a good environment for population growth.