Ear squeeze

[hazmatmess]

Today after some great diving, had a little problem towards the end of the last dive. I got a real bad squeeze while ascending! And it hurt bad!!!! Initially had a little equalizing problem going down but I went up a few feet and equalized. And once on the surface, I had a really hard time "popping" the ear that was hurting. Doesn't seem like there was water in it at all. Has this ever happened to anyone before?
Thanks
Tim

 

[jbd]

Once the hurting started during the asccent did you stop and descend a few feet to equalize the pressure and relieve the pain? At this point you could have tried ascending more slowly while working to allow the middle ear to equalize. To continue an ascent with pain in your ear like this asking for a ruptured tympanic membrane and a probale trip to the doctor.

 

[texdiveguy]

Today after some great diving, had a little problem towards the end of the last dive. I got a real bad squeeze while ascending! And it hurt bad!!!! Initially had a little equalizing problem going down but I went up a few feet and equalized. And once on the surface, I had a really hard time "popping" the ear that was hurting. Doesn't seem like there was water in it at all. Has this ever happened to anyone before?
Thanks
Tim

Happens to most divers at some point if they dive enough. Take things SLOW and equalize often and gently.

 

[k4man]

nice and easy descend and ascend. I'd say call your doc to check things out.

Kevin

 

[Green_Manelishi]

Once the hurting started during the asccent did you stop and descend a few feet to equalize the pressure and relieve the pain? At this point you could have tried ascending more slowly while working to allow the middle ear to equalize. To continue an ascent with pain in your ear like this asking for a ruptured tympanic membrane and a probale trip to the doctor.

And if the problem does not clear, not ascending is asking to drown and trip to the morgue.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

Today after some great diving, had a little problem towards the end of the last dive. I got a real bad squeeze while ascending! And it hurt bad!!!! Initially had a little equalizing problem going down but I went up a few feet and equalized. And once on the surface, I had a really hard time "popping" the ear that was hurting. Doesn't seem like there was water in it at all. Has this ever happened to anyone before?
Thanks
Tim

Yes. I've had a reverse squeeze. Rather uncomfortable but it did not last; I swallowed and the tubes opened.

I've also had a reverse squeeze in teeth; lost a couple of fillings. Helium is a gas but it gets into the tiniest spaces

 

[jbd]

And if the problem does not clear, not ascending is asking to drown and trip to the morgue.

Certainly pushes the issue to the edge of no common sense.

 

[hazmatmess]

And if the problem does not clear, not ascending is asking to drown and trip to the morgue.

Been to the morgue plenty of times that its boring now!! LOL

Yes, on the way down I did go up a few feet to equalize. I have gotten a squeeze before and corrected it. Just surprised me to get one while ascending. I guess there is a first time for everything.

Woke up this morning feeling fine. No pain, or pressure in the ear. Really didn't feel anything either during the night but I plan on going to the doctor tomorrow just to be safe.

But thanks for all the info everyone.

Gotta love this board!!!

Tim

 

[rawls]

A reverse squeeze is caused by an obstruction. Were you diving with a cold or sinus congestion? Could be wax...or some little critter that crawed into your ear while your were sleeping Just kidding...Generally it's wax or congestion. Yes you can descend and yes the pain will go away, but you are not going to necessarily fix the reverse squeeze like you would a direct squeeze as you would experience on descent. You still have to ascend and the squeeze probably wont' be eliminated once you start ascending again. One of 3 things will happen. You will be lucky and the trapped air will still get out passed the obstruction. The other thing is you will start to feel a little pain, then alot of pain, then excruciating pain like a Q-Tip on the eardrum. Once you get to the surface you are going to have to deal with it until the air diffuses out of your middle ear. The other scenario is you will rupture your tympanic membrane/eardrum from the inside out. At that point you will have a rush of cold water into your middle ear (even if it's 80 degree water it's very cold compared to our core temerature), you will get vertigo and will vomit. Once you vomit you will chum fish. Other divers will look and say Wow...Cool. At that point, hopefully you will have a buddy who knows what is going on and will get you still and get you to cover your ear to warm the water. At that point the vertigo and nausea will go away and you ascend keeping your ear covered. Once you get back to the dock/shore...you need to get to a physician to get the ear cleaned out to avoid infection. Then you stay out of the water for 2 weeks...one for the eardrum to heal and one for good measure. You can avoid all of this by not diving with a cold or sinus congestion or earwax build up, and by not forcefully clearing on descent. If you have to forcefully clear then it's because you are pushing air passed an obstruction. Then the air is trapped and that air has to go somewhere when you ascend and the volume expands/Boyle. I would suggest you abort the dive if you are having to forcefully clear.

 

[hazmatmess]

A reverse squeeze is caused by an obstruction. Were you diving with a cold or sinus congestion? Could be wax...or some little critter that crawed into your ear while your were sleeping Just kidding...Generally it's wax or congestion. Yes you can descend and yes the pain will go away, but you are not going to necessarily fix the reverse squeeze like you would a direct squeeze as you would experience on descent. You still have to ascend and the squeeze probably wont' be eliminated once you start ascending again. One of 3 things will happen. You will be lucky and the trapped air will still get out passed the obstruction. The other thing is you will start to feel a little pain, then alot of pain, then excruciating pain like a Q-Tip on the eardrum. Once you get to the surface you are going to have to deal with it until the air diffuses out of your middle ear. The other scenario is you will rupture your tympanic membrane/eardrum from the inside out. At that point you will have a rush of cold water into your middle ear (even if it's 80 degree water it's very cold compared to our core temerature), you will get vertigo and will vomit. Once you vomit you will chum fish. Other divers will look and say Wow...Cool. At that point, hopefully you will have a buddy who knows what is going on and will get you still and get you to cover your ear to warm the water. At that point the vertigo and nausea will go away and you ascend keeping your ear covered. Once you get back to the dock/shore...you need to get to a physician to get the ear cleaned out to avoid infection. Then you stay out of the water for 2 weeks...one for the eardrum to heal and one for good measure. You can avoid all of this by not diving with a cold or sinus congestion or earwax build up, and by not forcefully clearing on descent. If you have to forcefully clear then it's because you are pushing air passed an obstruction. Then the air is trapped and that air has to go somewhere when you ascend and the volume expands/Boyle. I would suggest you abort the dive if you are having to forcefully clear.

Na no cold. I clean my ears everyday. Especially a dive day. But like I said, feeling great today. But thanks for your post, I never though of ear wax causing a problem. And for a critter in your ear, I always loved getting those jobs.... If you want to hear some funny stories, just PM me and I'll share.

Tim