Ear question

[Scott M]

I have a quick question (well maybe not quick) anyway. I hadn't thought about this until just now. When I fly, occasionally one of my ears will bother me for sometimes up to a day. Just kind of a pressure feeling and a little harder to hear out of. If this happens on my trip can I still dive? I do my best to prevent this but sometimes it still happens. Any thoughts?

 

[Arnaud]

I get that, too. Can you still equalize?

 

[Bob3]

Check with your ENT, he may have some prescription goodies available.
Flonase along with a decongestant work well for me.
If you tolerate Sudafed or its generic equivalent, start taking the day before flying & during your dive trip, because you probably have ear clearing issues while diving, right?
Cut back on the dairy products a few days before, that may help too.
Oh yah, use the 12 hr sudafed variety, it doesn't feel nice when the stuff wears off during a dive, reverse block time.

 

[Scott M]

I get that, too. Can you still equalize?

Not sure, I will know better once I try diving.

 

[Scott M]

Check with your ENT, he may have some prescription goodies available.
Flonase along with a decongestant work well for me.
If you tolerate Sudafed or its generic equivalent, start taking the day before flying & during your dive trip, because you probably have ear clearing issues while diving, right?
Cut back on the dairy products a few days before, that may help too.
Oh yah, use the 12 hr sudafed variety, it doesn't feel nice when the stuff wears off during a dive, reverse block time.

I do pretty good with Sudafed so I will try that. I will also take your other advice. Thanks

 

[Arnaud]

Scott, Sudafed works well for me, too. I usually have a slight problem with my left ear after flying. It takes about 2 days to disappear, unless I get some decongestant.

You don't have to get in the water to test your ability to clear. You can do a gentle Valsalva on dry land.

 

[miguel sanz]

But don´t do Valsalva while ascending on a flight, that would be like doing it while ascending from a dive; bad idea, the air is trying to get out. You probably get some degree of barotrauma while flying and decongestinant should work for you.
Just curious, does it come while going up, or down?

 

[Scott M]

Scott, Sudafed works well for me, too. I usually have a slight problem with my left ear after flying. It takes about 2 days to disappear, unless I get some decongestant.

You don't have to get in the water to test your ability to clear. You can do a gentle Valsalva on dry land.

Hopefully this will be one of the flights I don't get it. I will hit the sudafed the day before and hope for the best.

 

[Scott M]

But don´t do Valsalva while ascending on a flight, that would be like doing it while ascending from a dive; bad idea, the air is trying to get out. You probably get some degree of barotrauma while flying and decongestinant should work for you.
Just curious, does it come while going up, or down?

My ears clear on the way up, it's always on the way down. They will clear (pop) a few times but towards the end the one (right) sometimes will not clear. A lot of it is in how the plane descends, if it is quick I get it more often. We fly out of Montreal a lot and due to there regulations the planes typically drop very fast, I always get it there. Sometimes it will clear up in a few hours sometimes a day.

 

[pipedope]

It makes my ears equalize easier.