Ear Problems

[Vwatson]

I have been diving for a couple of years and went on my first diving holiday last summer. I dived the day after flying, and ended up going to the local hospital because of really bad ear ache. The doctor said I had an infection caused by diving too soon after flying - it was something to do with too much pressure on my ears. I missed 3 days of diving which was awful as I was only there for 7 days.
I'm going away this year as well for a week and don't want the same thing to happen again. Does anyone have any suggestions of any medication I can take on the plane and before/after diving to ensure this doesn't happen again?

Thank you

 

[rmediver2002]

That statement is incorrect "The doctor said I had an infection caused by diving too soon after flying - it was something to do with too much pressure on my ears."

Infections are not caused by pressure fluxuations, barotrauma (squeeze) can be a result of pressure changes... As long as you are adapting to the pressure fluxuations and have normal physiology there will not be a problem with the number or amount of pressure variations. Is it possible you misunderstood his statement?

Are you prone to ear infections?

Any fullness in your ears after the flight? (did you valsalva as the plane decended and pressure increased?)

Do you know if your infection was in the middle ear or external ear canal?

Jeff Lane

 

[DandyDon]

Many divers hit the depths only hours after landing. The rest, the next morning.

Forget the local doc you saw wherever, and see an ENT, preferably one who knows diving. If you can't do that, see an ENT who will discuss your ears with a DAN doctor by phone.

Until that can happen, Rmediver didn't give you his credentials in his post, but look at his Profile. Anything he says is going to help!

Newbies seem to have a lot of ear problems that go away with practice and skills. Good luck...