Ears blocked for 5 weeks after SCUBA diving :( help

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hey so i seen the ent he done a full examination and told me that i was very congested and that my eustachian tubes were blocked , he prescribed me the nasal steroid spray and told me i should give it a good 4-6 weeks to clear up ,
I asked him how can i get my eustachian tubes to unblock he said we have to clear the sinuses. Thoughts ?

Also he mentioned to me that my cartilage in my nose was crooked and not straight and it was acting to block my eustachian tubes.

Btw yes i do have alot of pressure in my sinuses, but i didnt think it was linked to my ear problem

The sinuses and the Eustachian tubes are two different things, but if the same process is affecting both, then fixing that process will fix both. It can take a long time (6 + weeks) for Eustachian tube function to return to normal after an infection or injury.

Below is a diagram of where the opening of the Eustachian tube is in relation to to the rest of the anatomy. It doesn't show the nasal septum, which is what makes you have two nostrils instead of just one, but if it was crooked enough it could potentially affect the Eustachian tube.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Uber Dave]

I was in Cayman Brac last week on a dive vacation and of course I developed a wicked head cold just before leaving! I was able to do all of my dives but with great difficulty equalizing. Needless to say my ears were full of fluid. I went to my ear, nose and throat guy yesterday and prescribed Methylprednisolone, which is a steroid. I had the same problem a couple of years ago and he prescribed the same med. It definitely worked last time. I just started last night on the meds. It usually takes a few days for them to work. I'm also heading to Grand Turk in three weeks so I need this to work! On the upside my cold is gone!!!
Good luck

 

[Many94]

I was in Cayman Brac last week on a dive vacation and of course I developed a wicked head cold just before leaving! I was able to do all of my dives but with great difficulty equalizing. Needless to say my ears were full of fluid. I went to my ear, nose and throat guy yesterday and prescribed Methylprednisolone, which is a steroid. I had the same problem a couple of years ago and he prescribed the same med. It definitely worked last time. I just started last night on the meds. It usually takes a few days for them to work. I'm also heading to Grand Turk in three weeks so I need this to work! On the upside my cold is gone!!!
Good luck

Hey mate is that a oral steroid ? Or a spray ?
Thanks !!

 

[Many94]

I was in Cayman Brac last week on a dive vacation and of course I developed a wicked head cold just before leaving! I was able to do all of my dives but with great difficulty equalizing. Needless to say my ears were full of fluid. I went to my ear, nose and throat guy yesterday and prescribed Methylprednisolone, which is a steroid. I had the same problem a couple of years ago and he prescribed the same med. It definitely worked last time. I just started last night on the meds. It usually takes a few days for them to work. I'm also heading to Grand Turk in three weeks so I need this to work! On the upside my cold is gone!!!
Good luck

I looked it up , is that basically a stronger version of the nasal spray steroid?
I was reading up about the steriod nasal spray and apparently it takes a while to take affect

 

[BikerBecca]

Why are you on Scuba Board and not in your Doctor's office?

 

[caydiver]

I agree. Self diagnosing is not a good thing and following it up with questions posted on the internet is silly. Go to a proper specialist.

 

[Many94]

I agree. Self diagnosing is not a good thing and following it up with questions posted on the internet is silly. Go to a proper specialist.

Not sure if you read the whole thing , but i have been to a specialist

 

[caydiver]

So if the specialist couldn’t help you try another. I still don’t understand why you would ask random people on the internet. Believe me I see totally incorrect information on this and other sites by people who post non stop and seem to be considered as an expert but their postings are not only not based on personal experience but sometimes are downright dangerous. Anyone who is writing here has the power of google where at least perchance they can look at a site like DAN or webMD.

 

[uncfnp]

Hey mate is that a oral steroid ? Or a spray ?
Thanks !!

Methylprednisolone is the name of the medication. Here in the US it is available in oral and injectable forms. I am guessing he got the oral form often prescribed as a Medrol DosePak, a popular 6 day tapered prepackage script.

 

[Uber Dave]

ya... it was an oral and I just finished the prescription yesterday. I still have a little fluid in my left ear. I'll wait until the end of the week to see how I am before I call the doc. It's I digression script. You take 6 tabs the first day then 5, 4 ,3, 2, 1 consecutive days just like solo divers says.