Ear troubles

[Josh Levinson]

Hello,

I've been diving for about 10 years, and for most of it, I never had any ear problems. Over the last 2 or 3 years though, my ears have been getting gradually more and more troublesome.

I've gotten two middle ear hemmorages, and I always have to descend really slowly to allow my ears to equalize properly.

Even on land, I always have the impression that my nose or sinuses are a bit blocked (even when I haven't been diving for a while), and I'm pretty sure it's not allergies (I've never had allergies before, and taking stuff like allegra doesn't help).

I've been to an ear, nose, and throat specialist, and he told me I have a slightly deviated septum, but nothing that should have any effect on diving.

So I'm wondering if this is common, dangerous, etc., and if there are ways to remedy the problem (methods of equalizing, drugs, etc.). Thanks a lot.


Josh

 

[John Reinertson]

Equalizing troubles often result from congested or swollen nasal and pharyngeal tissues around the eustachian tube.

Some people with chronically "stuffy" nose that do not have allergies turn out to have a curiosity called "Nonallergic Rhinitis"

It usually responds to combination of Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) and a nasal inhaler with some form of cortisone.

There are several brands of cortisone spraye for the nonallergic rhinitis sufferer. A couple brand names are Flonase, Nasacort AQ, Beconase, and others.

Check with your family doc (or ENT) to see if this might be what you have.

Bear in mind that cortisone nose sprays are very different from decongestant nose sprays. They work differently and take up to two weeks to get maximum effect.

Good luck.

John