Ears full after doing handstands in pool !

[Mondyman]

Hi all , I've just returned from holiday ( i'm not a diver just need some advice if possible ) .I was doing some handstands on the botom of the pool depth was roughly 5ft and on the last one as i rolled over it felt like my ears filled up with water inside ( as if it forced it's way up my eustachian tubes into the middle ear )

My ears felt full for the next five days , i used antibiotic drops from the pharamcy on holiday just in case and my left one is especially bad with a constant ringing and only about 20% hearing in it but no pain at all . I was paranoid as hell about flying back home and had no issues at all no pain whatsoever .

Back home this is day 7 i went to the doctor's yesterday she checked my ear drum and as far as she can see it looks fine no redness ( she couldn;t fully see the drum on the left ear ( the bad one ) as there was a little wax in front.

So day 7 am sitting here typing this left ear is ringing constantly and feels full inside , i have a course of antibiotics to take . Just feeling really worried i have damadged my hearing . Iv'e tried gentle valsalva motion to release any pressure i have no dizziness or nausea...

Any advice please....

 

[Snoweman]

Have you tried lying down on that side of the body for an hour or so?

 

[Rooster59]

Can you gently open your tubes by yawning? Stand on your right leg with some kind of support to grab with your right hand a couple feet away to your right. Bend to your right, lifting your left leg up. Bend your left knee up towards your head, left foot towards your butt. Forcefully extend (kick) your left leg horizontally as you keep your head sideways right ear aimed down. Do this a few times while yawning. Switch around and do the other leg. Don’t kick the dog, family members, or the sheet rock. This always works for me. You are trying to let the water drain out of your sinuses/tubes/ears with gravity and a little shaking around.

 

[Streydog]

First of all remember you are asking for medical advice over the internet from people that are not doctors. Last year I caused trauma to my ear and I could swear I had water trapped inside. It drove me crazy and I kept messing with it trying to get the water out until it got infected. I think what I thought was water was fluid from the trauma. Only way to really know is to see an ENT.

 

[fmerkel]

The physician would have been better to give you a course of prednisone. This reduces the inflammation. You kind of have a 'sprained inner ear", same thing divers get from barotauma. Yes, you can get it in just a few feet of water.
The antibiotics won't help if you don't have an infection, which you don't have right after an incident like this.

Unless you want to try to go back to the physician, or see and ENT, your best bet right now is get some Pseudafed (little red pills) and Afrin. Take both as directed for ~ 3 days, or shorter if the condition clears up. They are both decongestants and will help open things up and maybe get that ear drained. This is a lot like a sprain. There is injury and swelling involved. The injury caused fluid to leak into the inner ear. The swelling is keeping it trapped there.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi all , I've just returned from holiday ( i'm not a diver just need some advice if possible ) .I was doing some handstands on the botom of the pool depth was roughly 5ft and on the last one as i rolled over it felt like my ears filled up with water inside ( as if it forced it's way up my eustachian tubes into the middle ear )

My ears felt full for the next five days , i used antibiotic drops from the pharamcy on holiday just in case and my left one is especially bad with a constant ringing and only about 20% hearing in it but no pain at all . I was paranoid as hell about flying back home and had no issues at all no pain whatsoever .

Back home this is day 7 i went to the doctor's yesterday she checked my ear drum and as far as she can see it looks fine no redness ( she couldn;t fully see the drum on the left ear ( the bad one ) as there was a little wax in front.

So day 7 am sitting here typing this left ear is ringing constantly and feels full inside , i have a course of antibiotics to take . Just feeling really worried i have damadged my hearing . Iv'e tried gentle valsalva motion to release any pressure i have no dizziness or nausea...

Any advice please....

@Mondyman I'd recommend you go see an otologist, an ENT physician who specializes in ears. You may have traumatized your inner ear.

 

[Mondyman]

Thanks for the replies they are much appreciated ,

Iv'e been taking decongestant tablets since day one to keep everything clear to allow any water to drain but no joy yet . In the UK it's a lot harder to go and see a specialist unless you get a referral from a doctor and that usually takes months , we have private specialists but they cost an absolute fortune and i don't have that sort of cash spare with a family an all . The doctor said to come back in a few weeks if i still have it.

If the water remains will it gradually drain ? Can i expect it to evolve into an infection in the middle ear as well ?

If my eustachian tubes are open ( i dont feel congested at all except in my ear ) why doesn't the water drain out

Will keep taking the decongestants and the antibiotics anyway and post updates as i go .

Thx again all

 

[fmerkel]

Which decongestants? Pseudofed is the only decent one. Others are less effective. Antihistamines or decongestant/antihistamine mixes will not be as helpful.

As long as the fluid in the inner ear does not become infected, it will ultimately drain when the swelling goes down. It's kind of like your nose getting all plugged up with a cold. The swelling reduces the passage by pressing it shut. It's a soft tube and it's pretty easy to do that.

 

[Mondyman]

Started Prednisone tablets about an hour ago , is it also worth getting Pred forte drops to put directly into my ear canal ?
Will pick up the sudafed tomorrow ( ears ringing like hell atm - torture )

 

[fmerkel]

Problems with the middle ear are totally different than the outer ear. Outer ear treatment not necessary or useful in this case.
I would not add the Pseuodfed to the Prednisione. Both can kind of amp you up and the additive effect may not be desirable.

What kind of pred dose? Was the physician clear about possible side effects?
Mood changes (anything from feeling wonderful to nasty/irritable), and an appetite increase are common. When you stop them you may get a 'crash' for a day or 2 depending on how long you are on them.
You should be taking the WHOLE dose first thing in the morning. That's normal. Your body makes a similar substance (cortisol) that regulates the wake/sleep cycle (and a whole bunch of other biological processes) and you want to try to stay on that cycle.

If you are game for a bit of Anatomy and Physiology read this: It's pretty interesting how this works.
Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis - Wikipedia
At least read the [Function] section.