Ears Ringing

[diver0008]

Ear beer at the end of every dive day for me has kept things in order.

Prior, there were bouts of minor infections, ringing/blockage, etc.

Anyway, see an ENT.

I go annually.

 

[bluesrocker22]

All,
Here is what I don't understand. I have NEVER had any "feeling" of discomfort on a dive with my ears. I would feel SLIGHT pressure. I would equalize, go deeper, slight pressure, equalize. I had always assumed that if I were not equalizing often enough, I would feel some discomfort? I appreciate all you folks putting your two cents in here, because this is whacky and I would like to figure it out. Getting ready to go dive again in about 10 days, so we will see how that goes.

 

[fmerkel]

There can be a fine line between equalizing often enough, discomfort, and then pain. Some of it is the individual tolerance, some of it is distraction from task loading. New divers barotrauma their ears and don't notice until after the dive they are so distracted. You are a vacation divers, so have to adjust to a lot of new input every time you go diving. I have a friend that would swear he never had problems equalizing, but had problems with his ears all the time. That finely improved when he went to Bonaire, sank down in waist deep water, and equalized every 2 feet of horizontal movement (probably 6 inches of vertical) like I instructed. That's a bit of overkill but proved the point, he was not equalizing sufficiently.

You should clear on the surface before submerging, then every 2 feet down to 20-30', then you can back off just a little. You should make that your primary focus on descent. For extra 'help' you can try adding some Sudafed and/or Afrin on the first dive and see it it works any better.

 

[bluesrocker22]

Thank you Fmerkel. We will try your suggestion on the 13th and see if that helps things (more EQ'ing). I know for SURE that I was not equalizing near as often as you suggested your friend should do. I had just assumed I would feel at least some discomfort if I was not EQ'ing enough. Thank you all so much for your help on this.

 

[Milkman670]

It sounds like a barra trauma, blood pushed up into the middle ear. I had one in Feb, dive doc put me on anti inflammatory and said i had no rupture, but no more diving. It took a good 3 weeks to completely drain and feel like normal. I did not have any pain, just annoying muffled sound and occasional ringing.

 

[diver0008]

It sounds like a barra trauma, blood pushed up into the middle ear. I had one in Feb, dive doc put me on anti inflammatory and said i had no rupture, but no more diving. It took a good 3 weeks to completely drain and feel like normal. I did not have any pain, just annoying muffled sound and occasional ringing.

Yup, had that once too. Lasted about the same, 2 to 3 weeks. Worried me considerably. Thought it was permanent. Wasn't. Hope that is the case with the OP.

 

[KentB]

I had the same thing after my OW course. I went to the doc and he said it was my sinuses blocked even though I wasn't stuffed up or anything my ears wouldn't equalize in the surface, he said go get a sinus rinse and you will be good to go.
I thought he was out to lunch but sure I got nothing to lose except about $10 I did it when I got home (it's disgusting by the way) but they "popped" 15 min later and the flushing sound was gone!

 

[BRT]

+1 for sinus rinse, don't forget that ibuprofen may reduce swelling and clear things out.

 

[fmerkel]

The sinuses and Eustachian canal+ears are both part of the upper respiratory system. They are separate entities but they can affect one another. I have lots of sinus issues but clear my ears OK. The sinuses are like small balloons with small openings into the skull from the nose passage. The openings are small. Nasal congestion may...or may not.....affect these openings but it's somewhat of a good bet that they will. You can clear your ears, you cannot clear your sinuses. They have to clear themselves.

Congested sinuses often are a symptom of inflammation and swelling in the area and may well affect ear clearing. But problems in one area does not necessarily mean problems in the other.