Blocked ear after 1st dive on holiday

[talisman71]

I have a feeling of water in my left ear after my first dive on holiday and a sensation of pressure. The dive went well and i didnt seen to have any problems equalizing. Can I carry on diving? If i dive, will it now be difficult to equalize? This was my 20th dive so i am still a novice really. Really annoying that this has happened after my first dive on holiday.

 

[kelemvor]

You might get better/quicker responses if you hit "report" on your thread and ask a moderator to move it to "Dive Medicine". Or, you could just post it in that forum.

Personally, I've had water stuck in my ears after diving. Ignored it, and kept diving without incident. I can't say for sure you will have the same experience, but that's been mine. I do pack "swim ear" when I go diving, and put it in my ears after most dives. You can often find ear drops at dive shops or over the counter at pharmacies. Alternatively, some use a mixture of peroxide and vinegar. I've never used that so I couldn't advise you on the exact mix.

If you can't find any, ask your boat crew. Most boats I've been on have a small supply of stuff like that for crew use and most people will share if asked politely.

 

[Stoo]

If your ear will clear at the surface, then it should clear at depth. If it won't, don't dive or risk injury. When time is short, I suggest a nasal spray to open things up. Ear-beer (50/50 alcohol and white vinegar) works wonders on the outside.

 

[dirtfarmer]

I've had excess ear wax get pushed into my ear, try hydrogen peroxide to dissolve it, or you may need a doctor to flush it out if that's the problem.

 

[fmerkel]

Your problem is....water/wax in the outer ear, or barotrauma to the inner ear.
If water/wax > you can dive, but it would be better if you could get it out.
If barotrauma > absolutely not.

Stoo has a reasonable point. If you CAN clear on the surface and that feels completely normal, you can possibly dive. If you can't, you shouldn't.

What you are going to get here are opinions. What you need to do is have those 2 questions answered. You aren't able to do it and it's your ears. It's very difficult to do so over the net with any reliability. That's why people often suggest you see an appropriate physician. They can easily look in your ear and make a determination....usually.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Another possibility (which gets me) is allergies or other "mucus makers" combined with dehydration. The Eustachian tubes get clogged with mucus as I dive; the snot gets pushed in all weird directions with pressure and orientation changes. Then, because I'm dehydrated, it dries in place. Now as air pressure changes on the surface (not even with depth), I feel pressure as if I'm diving. Throw in a little ear wax trapped water in the out ear canal, and you have symptoms like yours. Try the various home remedies to get the water out of the outer ear. For the Eustachian tube (if that's it), I've found staying well-hydrated, taking real pseudofed at night (never before diving), and maybe that nasal sprays.

 

[JohnN]

If your ear will clear at the surface, then it should clear at depth. If it won't, don't dive or risk injury. When time is short, I suggest a nasal spray to open things up. Ear-beer (50/50 alcohol and white vinegar) works wonders on the outside.

I "enjoy" excessive buildup of ear wax. If left in there long enough, salt water will cause it to swell and I can't hear s**t on the surface. This happened to me in my OW class (just a 'few' years ago) Quite disorienting, but it did not impacted my ability to equalize. Having made the mistake once, I now make sure the wax is removed regularly and especially before a multi-day dive trip. My suggestion would be to give it a try. If you can equalize, you're good, if not, don't try to be a hero

 

[Stoo]

Ear wax shouldn't really have much effect on equalizing since it's "outside", and equalizing happens "inside". It can be a major factor in development of Swimmer's Ear as it retains water in the outer ear canal. I weekly shot of hydrogen peroxide with a rince when you're showering usually keeps that at bay.

I suppose if the buildup leads to an effective "plug", and potentially infection, that could have a bearing on clearing for sure.

 

[Norrm]

If I was in your fins and I wasn't in any pain or blood then I'd dive without question.

 

[ljwillia]

As @dirtfarmer mentioned it could be ear wax. I experienced that while at CCR in Roatan. Hydrogen peroxide soak and flush took care of it. I had no pain. It was just uncomfortable.