Ear Barotrauma

[fresh_fish]

I've found that when I occasionally get fluid stuck behind my eardrum, taking an anti-inflammatory like advil will help the tubes open back up again. Steroids are anti-inflammatory too, just a lot stronger. I was told it's something with the irritation of the wall of the tube, that it gets inflamed after the barotrauma.

 

[Dive~Bunny]

what were your symptoms? is it painful?

i got a sinus infection immediately following a coldwater dive and its been a 2 week struggle trying to get it to clear up...could i possibly have this too? i went to the doctor and they gave me antiobiotics, she looked inside my ears and didn't mention anything about blood or fluid buildup, but who knows how knoweldgable she is with diving injuries.

i didn't have any problems equalizing on the way down but on the way up got a squeeze because i can't control my ascent very well (its always up/down/up/down), never straight up gradually.

What does it mean to clear the hood?

 

[6ftRooster]

DiveBunny my suggestion is to not start worrying to much. Chances are you just have a bad sinus infection, I can tell you from experience that sometimes they can linger for a while and I would know I have some of the worst sinus problems around. Although it is possible that you may have suffered some kind of trauma to your ear I doubt it, especially if your physician looked into your ears and didn't notice any pooling of fluids in there, at the end of the day it is still ear trauma and whether or not your doctor knows much about diving she would probably notice some trauma or irritation to your inner ear if there was any, or at least I hope so. And clearing your hood is exactly like what Vertgo said on the previous page, its just getting air pockets out of your hood.