Ear problem, Tinnitus & Buzzing - Never Diving Again

[Angelo Farina]

I only tried the frenzel dry so far and tomorrow I gonna try it in the water. Hope it works with regulator on mouth.

A Frenzel with regulator in-mouth is called a Marcante-Odaglia. It is slightly LESS effective than original Frenzel (that is done by free divers, with the mouth closed).
You should practice performing both techniques, as removing the reg from the mouth for performing pure Frenzel is definitely unpractical when scuba diving...
Albeit in some case it is necessary, exactly because Frenzel provides more pressure than Marcante-Odaglia, so when a tube has difficulties opening, you remove the reg and perform pure Frenzel, for maximum pressure.
This is what is done usually by free divers, when they use a Scuba system: they are used to pure Frenzel, so they feel the need of removing the reg from the mouth for performing it properly.

 

[Scuba Client]

OK guys. Infection is fine and even the tinnitus in the right ear. So gp was right, an infection can cause temporarily tinnitus too.

Anywas I finally learned the frenzel equalization after trying and learning it for like 3 hours every day in the last week. So far it works good and even easy. Sometimes even handsfree.

But the pressure in my ear from frenzel feels way stronger than from val salva! Is that not bad as over-pressering or retiring it is more likely?

I only tried the frenzel dry so far and tomorrow I gonna try it in the water. Hope it works with regulator on mouth.

My concern also is that when I do it I hold my breath for a second because the glottis needs to be closed. So I'd break the most important scuba rule..

There is a free PDF online called: Diving and Subaquatic Medicine for Scuba Divers. Well worth reading.

 

[Pressurehead]

Dr Carl Edmonds was one of the main authors of this, I remember him as THE Dr of Underwater medicine [ made Dr Cmdr R.A.N.] At the R.A.N. Navy dive school HMAS Penguin Sydney from the mid 1980s, went on to bigger things after that [so I have been told], Must be him. He was way above my 'pay grade'.

There is a free PDF online called: Diving and Subaquatic Medicine for Scuba Divers. Well worth reading.

 

[Scuba Client]

Dr Carl Edmonds was one of the main authors of this, I remember him as THE Dr of Underwater medicine [ made Dr Cmdr R.A.N.] At the R.A.N. Navy dive school HMAS Penguin Sydney from the mid 1980s, went on to bigger things after that [so I have been told], Must be him. He was way above my 'pay grade'.

That's the e-book. Interesting reading; with several ear clearing techniques included.

 

[Oezkan]

Hey Guys!! It's been a long time again and I wanted to update you.

Eversince the last time i dived about 20 times I think. I got no problems at all anymore. Equalizing works easy and fine all the time (still valsalva). I have no pain or anything. Even the tinnitus gets muuuuch better now. And yesterday I got checked from an ent with a camera from the nose to the back of the ear even though I have no problems, just to make sure. And the ent said everything is fine.

Thanks for all your help so far guys

 

[chillyinCanada]

Hey Guys!! It's been a long time again and I wanted to update you.

Eversince the last time i dived about 20 times I think. I got no problems at all anymore. Equalizing works easy and fine all the time (still valsalva). I have no pain or anything. Even the tinnitus gets muuuuch better now. And yesterday I got checked from an ent with a camera from the nose to the back of the ear even though I have no problems, just to make sure. And the ent said everything is fine.

Thanks for all your help so far guys

Great new, glad to hear this report back!

 

[Oezkan]

So here I am again. I did about 60 dives after my ear issue without much problem. Then I didnt dive for 7 months to do a deep dive to 32 meter after that. Now I hurt my ear (same ear) once again. On descending everything was working well until about 28 meters. After that equalizing got a bit difficult. I had a pain in the left ear, equalizing didn't work. After about 15 seconds (too long I guess) I ascended 2 meters and went down again. With a little more force equalizing worked. After the dive I had pain all day. Went to the doctor here in South Africa where I am now. She said its ruptured. I asked if it's a big hole. She said there is no hole. I shall take a week off diving. Does that even make sense? Isn't a ruptured ear mean there is a hole? And in that case doesn't it take longer to heal then a week? I don't know why I got ear problems once again. I really tried and talked to many doctors by now. Maybe I do have to quit diving?

 

[scubaozy]

Ruptured eardrum will repair it self in very short time generally. But in order to dive again, recommend break is couple of months. It means, between you seen a doc and the actual incident, your t. membrane might already become air/gas tight. You need to ask to the doc what she meant. You can also rupture an oval window, in that case you would have vertigo, hearing loss and tinnitus.

 

[Oezkan]

Oh really a ruptured ear can heal within 2 days? That's not good for the diagnosis then. But generally, is there such thing as a ruptured ear with no hole? Isn't a ruptured ear defined by a hole? The dok also first said both ears are inflamed. Later when I asked what I shall take for the inflammation she said the ears are not inflamed. So I really can't trust here. She was also a little bit angry because I asked some questions. So there is no way I can ask her what she meant

 

[scubaozy]

Oh really a ruptured ear can heal within 2 days? That's not good for the diagnosis then. But generally, is there such thing as a ruptured ear with no hole? Isn't a ruptured ear defined by a hole? The dok also first said both ears are inflamed. Later when I asked what I shall take for the inflammation she said the ears are not inflamed. So I really can't trust here. She was also a little bit angry because I asked some questions. So there is no way I can ask her what she meant

You should check for discharge or blood in your ear canal after the problem occurs. That will indicate that there was a perforation. It could be tricky though if diving without hood as it might be washed away already.