Can a forceful valsalva maneuver cause tinnitus?

[Jean Correa Soares]

Hi all, i am brazilian so i am using a translator.

I'm not a diver. I maybe have damaged myself by giving myself something similar to barotrauma in my middle ear or inner ear by doing a forceful valsalva maneuver, i was no diving, only
sitting in front of my computer when I feel a muffle in right my ear so i did the maneuver one time and it didnt go away and then i´ve repeated but this time whit more strong then I heard a crack and stopped from doing that and then i noticed that i was with tinnitus in my right ear, i dont know how to say exacly if the tinnitus come with the muffle or after i did the maneuver but i dont feel any pain or other symptom and i went to sleep and when wake up it wasnt there anymore until 3 or 4 days later the noise returned in the left ear and then went to the right and is hear more than a week now, I went in an otorhino who prescribed me prednisone 20 mg for a week and looked at my ears with an otoscope and said that there was no damage at all ... But is it possible that with just one otoscope it is possible to blow some baurotrauma into the inner ear?

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

I think only a Doctor will be truly qualified to tell you what is going on, a lot of divers have probably encountered medical problems before but as much as we would like to help, most of us are not medically trained to answer that.
Following any advice by someone with no medical training can be dangerous and maybe even escalate your current situation, there is absolutely no substitution for a Doctor's opinion.

If you are unsatisfied with the doctor that did the inspection you can always go see another one for a 2nd opinion.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Good morning Jean,

It is possible to injure the inner ear with a forceful valsalva maneuver. This injury would be classified as barotrauma whether diving was involved or not. Inner ear barotrauma can only be diagnosed with certainty by performing surgery and it's possible that too much time has elapsed for that. Did the otorhinolaryngologist test your hearing? Did you feel any vertigo (spinning sensation)?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[jonhall]

Can only share an experience here. I've had one self diagnosed ear barotrauma, 2 years ago while diving. I had extreme ear pain at times during a dive and spit some blood while gearing down. Could have been caused by Valsava maneuver or from the quick ups and downs as I was in a cenote. Dove again 2 days later with no problems then or since. Haven't been diving since the end of April of this year, but in the last 4 weeks, I have noticed a ringing in my ears. It just crept up on me and it is not constant as I don't notice or pay attention to it all of the time. Can't say it is associated with anything in particular although I attribute it to age - I'm 63. Will probably bring it up to my doctor the next time I see him.

 

[Jean Correa Soares]

Good morning Jean,

It is possible to injure the inner ear with a forceful valsalva maneuver. This injury would be classified as barotrauma whether diving was involved or not. Inner ear barotrauma can only be diagnosed with certainty by performing surgery and it's possible that too much time has elapsed for that. Did the otorhinolaryngologist test your hearing? Did you feel any vertigo (spinning sensation)?

Best regards,
DDM

No vertigo and not even pain, i only heard a crack and this crack were in the left side only. Maybe the tinnitus was already there when the muffle came. But what could cause this muffle, perhaps some dysfunction in the eustachian tube. I forgot to mention that when I swallow the saliva I hear a crack(or click i guess is how to say) since then.

 

[Jean Correa Soares]

And the otolaryngologistI i was, was very bad and only looked at my ears, did not test, so I marked another, I'm going tomorrow.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Jean, sorry to hear about your experience with your first otolaryngologist. If you see this before your appointment today you might bring up the possibility of inner ear barotrauma. It's a reassuring sign that you didn't have any vertigo.

Best regards,
DDM