Diving WITH an outer ear infection

[crowndiver]

I've had an otitis externa infection going on since December. The condition remained mild until the dive last weekend. Then pain returned and much worse than it had been. Hearing in the affected ear became muffled due to yellow fluid discharge. I started prescription drops Tuesday night and today things have begun to settle down. Best of luck to you.

Eyegore, that's an extremely long time to have otitis externa. It often gets better within two weeks even without drops. Yellow fluid is probably an indication of an inner ear infection...you may want to at least get some antibiotics. Good luck

 

[60plus]

I had a relatively mild outer ear infection but even so inflammation in the general area made equalization very near impossible. Very severe pain came on after a dive on Sunday and I went to hospital where the doctor told me I could not fly until I had been seen and cleared to fly by another doctor after the prescription had time to work. My doctor cleared me to fly on the Friday and I had 6 dives to over 30m the following week without much problem, but I did have some recurring problems, tinitus and loss of hearing for 2 or 3 months before it fully cleared up. The hospital doctor prescribed eardrops which contained alcohol and acetic acid (vinegar). After that I used a smear of soudocrem.
Could your yellow discharge be dissolving ear wax or is it due to bacterial infection - I think you need medical confirmation.

 

[Eyegore]

Thank you, I'm quite sure there is no timpanic membrane rupture in the affected ear. I realized that mine is an acute case of OE and had a telephone conversation with my PCP. Following the doc's advice, I'm instilling antibiotic drops and a mild steroid solution 2X/day.

Edit: On the dive last weekend, ears were clearing just the way they have for the last 35 years, which is to say, without any problem.