Can't hear after diving

[doctormike]

OK, had my 2nd dose of my Prednisone today and did not see great gains like yesterday . OK, the hearing loss was a SNHL, not a CHL so now I am thinking it is inner ear, not outer. So if my fistula got injured, can I dive again? What if my Round or Oval Windows were injured? I have a call into the doc to ask him this but yest he just thought the sudden hearing loss was unrelated to diving. I dont think they are unrelated. Too conincidental. Thanks DoctorMike and DukeMedicine.

If I were you, I would try to see an otologist (ear specialist). Let me know where you are and I may be able to recommend someone...

 

[sprklep]

OK, so this guy is not a otologist?
Dr. Gary P. Goldsmith, MDOtolaryngology/Ear, Nose, Throat

DAN said to use this guy but he could not get me in right away....I will call him again...but not sure if he is Otologist either????

Name: Andy Chung
Speciality: Otolaryngology
Country: US
City: Dallas
State: TX
Postal Code: 75230
Phone: +1-972-566-8300

 

[doctormike]

No, neither of those guys are otologists. From the website, Dr. Chung looks like he does general ENT with special interest in head and neck cancer surgery and sinus surgery. But that doesn't mean that he doesn't know anything about this stuff, he is a DAN physician, not sure exactly what that implies. Most general ENT docs don't do things like perilymph fistula surgery, but he might have some experience that I don't know about. If he is DAN affiliated, he also might have some knowledge of dive specific injuries...

Dr. Goldsmith seems to be trained as a general ENT doctor - his practice website looks like they also specialize in sinus surgery... again, that doesn't mean that they don't know about ear injuries in diving, but hard to say without knowing either of them.

Here is a list of Otologists from our academy website in the Dallas area, in case you need that... I don't know any of these docs personally.

Jane F Admire, MD	Dallas, TX 75230-2512
Mark M Altenau, MD	Dallas, TX 75230-2505
Mark M Altenau, MD	Dallas, TX 75230-2505
Philip F Anthony, MD	Fort Worth, TX 76104-3111
Paul W. Bauer, MD	Coppell, TX 75019
Paul W. Bauer, MD	Southlake, TX 76092
Socorro Chamblee, MD	McKinney, TX 75070-8182
Teresa V. Chan, MD	Dallas, TX 75390-9035
Ricardo Cristobal, MD PhD	Fort Worth, TX 76104-2254
James R Fancher, Jr, MD	Dallas, TX 75216-7167
Amanda K. Hudson, MSN-FNP	Fort Worth, TX 76104
Brandon Isaacson, MD	Dallas, TX 75390-0001
Wayne R Kirkham, MD	Dallas, TX 75230-6845
George Kostohryz, Jr, MD	Fort Worth, TX 76135-7023
J Walter Kutz, Jr, MD	Dallas, TX 75390-7208
J Cooper McKee, MD	Mesquite, TX 75185-1750
Brian R Peters, MD	Dallas, TX 75230-6800
Peter S Roland, MD	Dallas, TX 75390-9035
Todd E Samuelson, MD	Fort Worth, TX 76104-3929
Gregory A Young, MD	Rockwall, TX 75032-6663

 

[sprklep]

Thanks. I think DAN said Dr Chung use to do some work with them..some how he works with DAN and must be a diver. I will start going through you list and see what I can get....many thanks!!!

 

[doctormike]

Right, and while a diving ENT doc might know more about dive injuries than one who doesn't dive, when it comes to a middle ear exploration for a perilymph fistula (for example), unless that doc has a lot of ear surgery experience as a general ENT doc (not so common), I would go with an otologist. But again, he may be fine, hard to say without knowing him...

Mike

 

[sprklep]

OK....gold on the first one..Dr. Admire is on my health plan and I have an apt 9am Monday...many Thanks !! The other doc I guess is going to be mad when I come to get all my files.

 

[doctormike]

OK, I hope that I haven't confused you more with all of this! The fact of the matter is that lots of ENT doctors specialize, but others do all types of ENT work and may be fine to see as well in this situation.

Just to be clear, that list was of docs who listed otology as a specialty on their ENT academy profile. I don't know any of them, and I can't vouch for their individual training or areas of clinical interest. So whatever you end up doing, make sure to get a second opinion before you do anything drastic, and always ask when making an appointment about the doctor's specific area of expertise.

Feel free to bounce anything you are told off of us here, either in the forum or as a PM. I think that you are on the right track about this not necessarily being just a coincidental SSNHL. Hopefully you won't need surgery either.. usually patients with a PLF have some dizziness as well...

Mike

 

[sprklep]

Thanks Mike....OK.....just got a call back from my ENT guy who does do surgeries. My MRI was fine. I asked him about my fistula and round and oval windows and he said he checked all of that. He said no injuries to these..no sign of anything and they did some tests I was unaware they were doing to check these. Plus, he said no vertigo. He then said he spoke with Jeff Stone who has worked with DAN and runs the chamber at Presby Dallas and he said no sense now for a chamber ride...too long. Plus my ENT doc still thinks not dive related. He just wants me to keep taking the drugs and do another hearing test next Friday. I did not tell him I have an apt with the otologist on Monday. I am thinking just go on to this one for a 2nd opinion...to be safe...not tell him...just proceed with both docs??

Also...when I am on dive trips I take one Bonine tablet each night since I get seasick. Coz was flat this trip but I took just in case since it is winter and norte do come up. Could this have masked the vertigo, dizziness, etc?

Thanks for you help Mike !! I am going out of my mind thinking I might not be able to dive ever again.

 

[doctormike]

Well, a PLF is not really visible on an MRI, but maybe he did a fistula test in the office or something...

Doubt the anti-nausea meds would still be masking vertigo at this point.

Ok to go for a second opinion, but just check that that doc is actually an otologist (practice limited to ear disease), and not just one of her areas of interest... My fault for not being more clear about that. On the other hand, if she is in network for you, might be ok to see what she thinks anyway... Not a big downside of extra opinions!

 

[sprklep]

cant tell if she is any different than the other guy.....does not say otologist but when I made the apt with the nurse I told her I wanted a 2nd opinion from an otologist. CoPay of $40 so why not. Make Good use of my State of Texas Insurance. I work for the Govt. Self insured Plan so not affected by Obamacare......YET!!!!

Dr. Jane F. Admire, MD :: Otolaryngologist in Dallas, TX

But the apt is 1st thing Monday so cant hurt. Thanks everyone for their input !!! Hope my post is helping others.