Ear issues after pool dives

[Samson]

Just got back from the ENT and everything checks out fine. Ear drums are intact and I went through a few tests to see if they respond normally to pressure and other stimuli and everything came back normal.

However, he checked out my nose and it appears that my nose turbinates are swollen and he believes this to be the reason why I had trouble equalizing. I can't feel a thing with regards to this swelling but apparently it's common for folks with a deviated septum, which I have.

 

[BlueTrin]

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[Johnika]

Just got back from the ENT and everything checks out fine. Ear drums are intact and I went through a few tests to see if they respond normally to pressure and other stimuli and everything came back normal.

However, he checked out my nose and it appears that my nose turbinates are swollen and he believes this to be the reason why I had trouble equalizing. I can't feel a thing with regards to this swelling but apparently it's common for folks with a deviated septum, which I have.

Thanks for the follow-up! Helps us learn to know the final verdict/outcome. Glad all is ok.
Also, sometimes equalizing issues can be heralding oncoming illness that you otherwise have no symptoms for…

Fwiw, I had gobs of trouble with equalizing when I started diving, now no real issues…so diving can be doable, esp with the eustacian tube training one commenter mentioned (I’ll be trying myself)…

 

[Ross19966]

When equalizing, for most people first 10 feet is the hardest, so it is not unusual to have trouble in a pool, especially for students who are not used to it.

When equalizing, do not let yourself feel pain. If you feel anything like pain, ascend and work on equalizing at a shallower depth. It is not just a matter of toughing out the pain--if you have descended far enough to feel pain, then it will be harder to equalize because of a closing down of the eustachian tubes from the pressure.

When I was a student and new diver, equalizing was a major problem for me. I even had an instructor tell me that diving might not be in my future because of it. I eventually learned to equalize early and often. By early and often, I mean while sitting on my sofa in the days before a dive trip, on the plane heading for the dive location, in the hotel room once I arrived, on the boat on the way to the dive site, on the edge of the boat before entering the water, on the surface before descending, and in the first few feet of the descent. I also used things to help clear the passages--eucalyptus oil picked up at a flea market in Australia worked great.

Today I don't have any trouble,and that is simply because my ears have gotten used to it.

This is spot on. Could also try Docs Pro Plugs. Equalizing has always been an issue for me underwater and in the airplane. Docs Pro Plugs are vented ear plugs. They talk about how and why they work on their website. They made a difference for me and my wife. Most notable difference was that it was easier to clear and I don't feel like I have water in my ears for a day or two after a dive.

BEST DIVING EARPLUGS | DOC'S PROPLUGS

BEST VENTED EAR PLUGS FOR SCUBA DIVING

www.proplugs.com

 

[HookeyLukey]

Guys, I am new to diving and even newer to using forums so please excuse any etiquette breaches in advance.

I passed my PADI Open Water course last week and REALLY enjoyed all the learning and the underwater environment. I did my final two dives on a Tuesday and had problems equalizing one ear (the left) on the final dive. It wasn't just pressure, it was pain. The problem was, although I new I needed to ascend and attempt to equalize, I went down a bit further before I got full control of my descent.

Any how, next day I decided to get checked out with my doctor and he examined my ears. Right one was fine (but still crackles); the left one he diagnosed with mid-ear barrotrauma. He said their is bruising, the eardrum is stuck inwards (compressed) and he suspects a small tear not visible to his eye. He contraindicated being submerged in the bath, diving, the pool etc for four weeks and at which stage he expects it to be healed or else I will be referred to ENT.

My question is simple, is this something that I can get over and dive again or am I likely to always have trouble equalizing? I find this thread encouraging and will try to respond to individual posts if I can get my head around the mechanics of using a forum ;-)

 

[HookeyLukey]

When equalizing, for most people first 10 feet is the hardest, so it is not unusual to have trouble in a pool, especially for students who are not used to it.

When equalizing, do not let yourself feel pain. If you feel anything like pain, ascend and work on equalizing at a shallower depth. It is not just a matter of toughing out the pain--if you have descended far enough to feel pain, then it will be harder to equalize because of a closing down of the eustachian tubes from the pressure.

When I was a student and new diver, equalizing was a major problem for me. I even had an instructor tell me that diving might not be in my future because of it. I eventually learned to equalize early and often. By early and often, I mean while sitting on my sofa in the days before a dive trip, on the plane heading for the dive location, in the hotel room once I arrived, on the boat on the way to the dive site, on the edge of the boat before entering the water, on the surface before descending, and in the first few feet of the descent. I also used things to help clear the passages--eucalyptus oil picked up at a flea market in Australia worked great.

Today I don't have any trouble,and that is simply because my ears have gotten used to it.

Hi, Thanks for all this info. It is very helpful to a beginner and I'm amazed at how much of a community spirit there seems to be on here in terms of offering help and advice.

Could I just ask how you used the eucalyptus oil exactly?

 

[boulderjohn]

My question is simple, is this something that I can get over and dive again or am I likely to always have trouble equalizing? I

As I wrote in my earlier post, I had a lot of trouble equalizing when I was first diving, and I had lots of resulting ear problems. I may have been worse than you.

I have no trouble at all now.

Could I just ask how you used the eucalyptus oil exactly?

I just took the lid off, held it by my nose, and took a big sniff of the vapors coming off. I never touched the actual oil.