Equalizing mistake -- ruptured eardrums

[stairman]

A doctor that dives would probably be your best bet. Your LDS should be able to give you a good one. It wont be to bad on the pocketbook for them to look in your ear and possibly give you a generic script. Does anyone know if DAN provides coverage for ear problems? just thought of that and Id say no.

 

[The Chairman]

First, I agree that medical intervention would be best. Especially if you are having pain or discomfort all the time.

Second, I am not a medical doctor: I keep Networks healthy, like the one you are on now!

Finally, it's important to equalize early and often as you descend. "Blow, then Go!" is a good way to remember to equalize first on the surface and to keep doing so BEFORE pressure builds up. If you are feeling pressure at all, you aren't equalizing as often as you should.

REMEMBER:

• Equalize early and often, before you feel pain!
• Equalize gently, so you don't traumatize your Eustachian tubes.
• Tilt your head up to help open the Eustachian tubes. Rocking gently from side to side can also help. Pushing your chin into your chest only serves to close them off!!!
• If gentle equalization doesn't seem to work, then abort your free-dive. On scuba, you can ascend a bit and try again, but abort the dive if you fail to relieve the pressure or pain. Blowing your nose and eliminating as much mucous as possible will also help considerably!
• Never attempt to dive while congested or sick! FWIW, the first thing I do on the day of a dive is to equalize my ears before I even get out of bed! Why bother getting ready if you can't get things to work on the surface!!!

One last thing: if you have any pain or discomfort after any dive:

Call DAN!

Just click on the link for info on contacting them!


​

 

[DandyDon]

A doctor that dives would probably be your best bet. Your LDS should be able to give you a good one. It wont be to bad on the pocketbook for them to look in your ear and possibly give you a generic script. Does anyone know if DAN provides coverage for ear problems? just thought of that and Id say no.

Good point. Call DAN first.

Sounds like a dive injury to me. I'd expect DAN to pay for the doc. They might not, but I'd be pissed.

 

[TGreene]

I perforated my right eardrum this past Saturday, but never had any issues with equalizing or any pain...

I discovered it late Saturday evening when I pinched my nose and blew gently to continue the "post dive" clearing and all of a sudden my wife could hear whistling coming from my head whenever I did that...

Since I was working on a doctor friends' computer network all day yesterday(he too is a diver), I had him check my ears with an Otoscope (sp?) and sure enough he said there was what "appeared to be a tiny tear" with a little residual blood towards the very edge of the membrane and the ear canal itself. When I stopped into the LDS this morning to chat, I mentioned this and the owner strongly suggested that I get on antibiotics as a preventative measure, so I stopped in to see another doctor friend of mine today and had him call in a script for a Z-Pak. He's also a diver, and he was telling me that he's ruptured his ears twice before, so he was really glad I wanted the antibiotics.

It was a freshwater lake dive, so we were laughing about the possibility of algae growing inside my head, and debated which type of antibiotics would be best for algae...

Anyways, I just started my 5-day regimen, and will be getting my ears checked again in 30 days or so.

-Tim

 

[HawaiiFinnFish]

Thanks for the replies.

The pain at ambient pressure went away in a few days. I still need to work the SCUBA boat, so stayed on my dives on the surface and down to about 15 feet max with constant equalization. No more pain and no trouble equalizing. Also went freediving and taking underwater pictures recently down to about 20 feet. No problems even while fussing with the camera at the same time.

I did go see a doctor. He did not see any damage to eardrums so no permanent damage was done but he prescribed an antihistamine to clear fluid.

I'm gonna take more care with freediving, i.e. equalize gently and often rather than quickly shoot directly to the bottom with an occasional heavy EQ.

I'll try SCUBA in a few days at deeper depths and see how that goes.

Aloha & Mahalo!
HFF

 

[Scubaman7596]

You prbably made something swell in your sinuses or eustation tubes from pushing to hard under to much pressure, and when the swelling went down it's starting to work again. ( No real Damage yet)Just unconortibleness

Asprin, Lots of water,& Sudafed

Asprin helps swelling
Water to flush
Sudfed to help dry fluids and mucus in the Sinus

Also Take Baby steps when getting back in the water Equalize earlier and oftener than you ever have before.

That swelling = weak spot
That weak spot Could = Serious Damage if you keep doing it


Good Luck with them dude!

 

[Dadvocate]

Fish Finn

I'm gonna take more care with freediving, i.e. equalize gently and often rather than quickly shoot directly to the bottom with an occasional heavy EQ.

You might want to consider a DAN insurance plan as well. Sounds like you are in the water enough to warrant this precaution.

Best of luck to you. I am glad you weathered this storm unscathed.

Cheers!