Ear canal closing after diving

[raskous]

Hey guys
I've been diving for a year now, and twice now, i've been having some recurring problems with my ear (Eustachian canal i think)
The first time it happened was on my first dive, being a noob i emptied my bcd too much and sank to the bottom then panicked and surfaced too fast, resulting in a pierced eardrum, on top of that i also got my Eustachian canal closing down (squeezing)
ENT doc gave me some spray and drops and it got fixed.

The thing is, i just came back from another trip, and i got the same thing, but this time not because of a mistake, it just happened for no reason, not even during a dive, i woke up with my ear blocked...
Just went to the ENT he said it's the Eustachian canal being closed... and he gave me the same treatment again.
According to him the pressure change triggered that, but thing is i was diving with 4 friends and they never got anything.

So my question is:
Is it frequent to get that kind of problem ?
Anyone experienced that before?
I'm worried that this will keep happening to me every time i dive (so far on 4 dive trips it happened on 2.) IF it does how can i deal with it? is there any way to prevent it? or am i gonna have to spray my nose forever?

The place i live in is lacking ENT doctors with decent english so it's hard getting answers from there.

Thanks
Chris

 

[doctormike]

Hey guys
I've been diving for a year now, and twice now, i've been having some recurring problems with my ear (Eustachian canal i think)
The first time it happened was on my first dive, being a noob i emptied my bcd too much and sank to the bottom then panicked and surfaced too fast, resulting in a pierced eardrum, on top of that i also got my Eustachian canal closing down (squeezing)
ENT doc gave me some spray and drops and it got fixed.

The thing is, i just came back from another trip, and i got the same thing, but this time not because of a mistake, it just happened for no reason, not even during a dive, i woke up with my ear blocked...
Just went to the ENT he said it's the Eustachian canal being closed... and he gave me the same treatment again.
According to him the pressure change triggered that, but thing is i was diving with 4 friends and they never got anything.

So my question is:
Is it frequent to get that kind of problem ?
Anyone experienced that before?
I'm worried that this will keep happening to me every time i dive (so far on 4 dive trips it happened on 2.) IF it does how can i deal with it? is there any way to prevent it? or am i gonna have to spray my nose forever?

The place i live in is lacking ENT doctors with decent english so it's hard getting answers from there.

Thanks
Chris

Hey, Chris... thanks for writing!

There are a lot of threads here on that exact problem, but I'll summarize what I usually mention:

1) There is a bell curve for everything - some people equalize easily, some don't. Some people need to work on this skill and practice to get good at it.

2) If you haven't already looked at it, check out this video.

3) Although people use a lot of stuff to help equalize, there is no scientific evidence that nasal sprays (decongestants or steroids) address the Eustachian tube itself. Oral steroids can help, but they should not be used on a regular basis, and certainly not as a substitute for good equalization techniques.

4) Most dive agencies do not approve of using things like oral decongestants (which may have a minor effect on ET function), as they can wear off during a dive and cause a reverse block. People use them anyway.

5) Sometimes ear problems are not what they seem. Outer ear problems can mimic middle ear problems, etc... Always best to have a good exam by an ENT doctor.

Good luck! Feel free to PM me if you want a local referral, etc...

Mike

 

[Bubbletrubble]

-deleted-

 

[raskous]

hey mike thanks for replying

I'm gonna check out that video
that being said, is my problem actually an equalization problem?
Cause during the dive, i don't have any problem at all, i can easily equalize by swallowing/pinching my nose, it's always OK.
It happened afterward, i just woke up one morning with it...
It's really weird.

I'll watch that video anyway
thanks again

 

[Bubbletrubble]

that being said, is my problem actually an equalization problem?
Cause during the dive, i don't have any problem at all, i can easily equalize by swallowing/pinching my nose, it's always OK.
It happened afterward, i just woke up one morning with it...
It's really weird.

It could be an equalization problem. As doctormike stated, there's no way to know for sure without having an ENT do a good exam.

Despite being able to eventually equalize during descent, one can still experience some barotrauma to the middle ear. With minor cases of middle ear barotrauma (due to suboptimal equalization), some divers do experience a delay in the onset of symptoms.

FWIW, you're not alone. Lots of divers, particularly novices, have issues with ear equalization.

It would be worthwhile to figure out which equalization technique works best for you. Then, on your next dive, descend slowly and equalize early/often during descent. If you are equalizing properly, you shouldn't experience any pain or significant pressure at all.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

hey mike thanks for replying

I'm gonna check out that video
that being said, is my problem actually an equalization problem?
Cause during the dive, i don't have any problem at all, i can easily equalize by swallowing/pinching my nose, it's always OK.
It happened afterward, i just woke up one morning with it...
It's really weird.

I'll watch that video anyway
thanks again

Chris,
Many people wake up the morning after a dive with blocked ears. The inside of the middle ear is very vascular, and the oxygen that's in there gets absorbed by all the capillaries that line the inside. This has the effect of decreasing the pressure in the middle ear. If the Eustachian tube is inflamed or blocked, air can't get into the middle ear to compensate for this, and you may wake up feeling like you have a mild ear squeeze. A quick Valsalva maneuver should help clear this up.
As Bubbletrubble and Doctor Mike have already said, there are a lot of potential causes of Eustachian tube blockage that an ENT can address - allergies, colds, and minor irritation from improper ear equalization are just some of the possibilities. Also, if you haven't looked at it yet, the link that Bubbletrubble has in his signature line is a great resource. I can't remember if this particular piece of advice is in that link, but some people find it helpful to "pre-pressurize" their ears by performing the Valsala maneuver before beginning descent.

Best regards,
DDM