I have a hole in my eardrum approximately 1.5mm in diameter and currently have a slight infection. I may be stupid, everyone might laugh at me, and most will say to stay out of the water for a good long time. I do not believe this is an option for me, and I am going to try to get back in the water much sooner than the recommended 6 weeks for a perforated eardrum.
I understand the risks, and I understand that nobody can even tell me that it is ok to do this, but I am going to start getting back in the water soon, once I clear up the infection with my antibiotics. The infection resulted from continuing the dive when my eardrum ruptured, as the pain was not as bad as what I would have expected and so I assumed everything was fine (until I got out and put some fluid in my ears to prevent swimmers ear and immediately felt the worst pain I have ever experienced in my entire life.) Water entered the middle ear through the hole, however the infection causes no pain or foul odor so I assume it is mild.
My current plan is to wait until the slight infection has subsided and I have finished my antibiotics. Then I plan to use a fitted, vented earplug along with a small amount of cotton. I will use a sterile oral syringe with sterile petroleum jelly to first insert a small amount of jelly in the ear. I will then saturate the cotton with the jelly, ensure that a piece of thread is woven through it for retrieval, and insert it with forceps. I will then clean the jelly off the outside of the ear canal to ensure that the jelly does not lubricate the vented ear plug and cause it to fall out, and place the ear plug in my ear. I then hope to be able to dive at 6-10 feet for the remaining weeks of healing, a few times per week, with no water reaching the tympanic membrane. The vented earplug should also ease stress due to pressure once the hole is finally closed over, though before then there should be no stress on the eardrum at all since the hole will basically "equalize" the ear for me.
Does anyone dive with tubes in their ears or a perforated eardrum? If so, how to you keep the water out to avoid a potential infection? Any tips?
I understand the risks, and I understand that nobody can even tell me that it is ok to do this, but I am going to start getting back in the water soon, once I clear up the infection with my antibiotics. The infection resulted from continuing the dive when my eardrum ruptured, as the pain was not as bad as what I would have expected and so I assumed everything was fine (until I got out and put some fluid in my ears to prevent swimmers ear and immediately felt the worst pain I have ever experienced in my entire life.) Water entered the middle ear through the hole, however the infection causes no pain or foul odor so I assume it is mild.
My current plan is to wait until the slight infection has subsided and I have finished my antibiotics. Then I plan to use a fitted, vented earplug along with a small amount of cotton. I will use a sterile oral syringe with sterile petroleum jelly to first insert a small amount of jelly in the ear. I will then saturate the cotton with the jelly, ensure that a piece of thread is woven through it for retrieval, and insert it with forceps. I will then clean the jelly off the outside of the ear canal to ensure that the jelly does not lubricate the vented ear plug and cause it to fall out, and place the ear plug in my ear. I then hope to be able to dive at 6-10 feet for the remaining weeks of healing, a few times per week, with no water reaching the tympanic membrane. The vented earplug should also ease stress due to pressure once the hole is finally closed over, though before then there should be no stress on the eardrum at all since the hole will basically "equalize" the ear for me.
Does anyone dive with tubes in their ears or a perforated eardrum? If so, how to you keep the water out to avoid a potential infection? Any tips?
