Continue learning to dive if I have "holes in my eardrum"?

[snowmansam]

I've completed my first day of my PADI open water course and for various reasons had to get my ear checked. Turns out I have small holes in both my ear drums. The doctors seems convinced I've had them there since I was very young and said I could continue to learn to dive, so long as I "had them plugged". Even in my beginner state, I thought this was odd as I read you can't shove earplugs into your ears if you want to equalize.

Tomorrow, I'm heading out for my second day for the course to do confined and open water dives (only 1 skin dive today). Big question I'd love advice on is whether I SHOULD ABANDON THE COURSE or CONTINUE BUT ONLY WITH WAY TO PLUG MY EARS (the dive shop said they had a pair or Pro Ears masks that keeps the ears dry and equalize?) or CONTINUE BECAUSE THIS ISN'T A BIG DEAL.

Long shot, but hoping I'd get some quick replies to help me decide. I'm just not sure how common this is, or if it's reckless to dive if you know you've got holes in your ear drums. On the upside, I now know why I get seasick so easily..

Thanks in advance.

ps. It might be worth adding that in the past I've had meningitis and the doctor said that it's quite likely I got that because I got an infection and I had holes in the eardrum.

 

[Scott]

My suggestion is postpone any further training until you have consulted with a ENT, preferably a ENT that is familar with diving, and the issue is resolved, if it can be.
Perforations in the ear drum should be repaired to prevent middle ear infections from small amounts of water getting through the perforation.
I'm not familair with Pro Ear masks but even during your course you have to remove the mask, hense removing the ear "plug".

 

[boulderjohn]

I agree with Scott. Wait until you know from a doctor who knows about diving. I am gong to move this thread to the dive medicine forum so that it will get the attention of our medical moderators.

 

[ChickenFried]

Get a second opinion. As others have mentioned, find a doctor that is very familiar with scuba diving. DAN might be able to help out in this regard.

 

[oly5050user]

Seems that the dive shop is being irresponsible ..if a doctor put any type of conditions on a students medical that that will allow diving that student should not be allowed to participate in diving class until condition is repaired. I know that is not what you want to hear but the possibility of serious damage is there. Consult a ENT experienced with diving as others have pointed out and see what he/she says.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi Snowmansam,

Can you elaborate on the "various reasons" for getting your ears checked? Absent further information, I'd echo the other posters' recommendations to put off going to diving class until you've been cleared by an ENT physician.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[snowmansam]

Thanks everyone for such quick responses!

@DukeDiveMedicine. I answered Y to the seasick question on the PADI medical form and the dive instructor said we couldn't proceed until I had seen a doctor. So I spent all day reading the PADI material, doing the swimming tests and 1 skin dive but nothing else.

I appreciate the advice on getting a 2nd opinion and being looked at by an ENT. I'm especially curious to know if this is relatively common or I'm an odd case - that you have these holes in your ears since you were young. I've done plenty of swimming etc before so have never had problems with water in my ears per say. I'm guessing the extra pressure of being underwater increases the risk of getting water in the ears.

BTW, is it standard for the instructors to refuse any refund or postponement after I discover something like this that prevents me from further diving? Seems like I paid a lot of money to sit in a class all day reading PADI books and that's all. Nevermind if that's the case as I don't want to risk my ears but just thought I'd ask others' experience.

 

[boulderjohn]

I appreciate the advice on getting a 2nd opinion and being looked at by an ENT. I'm especially curious to know if this is relatively common or I'm an odd case - that you have these holes in your ears since you were young. I've done plenty of swimming etc before so have never had problems with water in my ears per say. I'm guessing the extra pressure of being underwater increases the risk of getting water in the ears.

I've never heard of it. My younger son had a series of very bad ear infections when he was young, and he burst his ear drums several times. He now has scar tissue on the ear drums, but no holes.

BTW, is it standard for the instructors to refuse any refund or postponement after I discover something like this that prevents me from further diving? Seems like I paid a lot of money to sit in a class all day reading PADI books and that's all. Nevermind if that's the case as I don't want to risk my ears but just thought I'd ask others' experience.

I have never had this happen, nor have I heard of it happening. When people have medical issues that prevent them from diving, we have always found out before doing anything in the class at all. I assume that they were given a refund, but I never handled that sort of thing. I would expect a refund if I could not even start the class for medical reasons.

 

[TSandM]

I'd get an exam from somebody who knows what they are looking at. GPs and family practice docs are not nearly as good at examining ears as ENT docs are. I am very dubious of the diagnosis.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Sam, where in New Zealand are you?