Equalizing with congestion in one ear

[David Duggan]

Im going diving tomorrow and I have just tried to equalize my ears but only my right ear would go while my left ear wouldnt, I have just been recovering from a slight head cold during the week and still have some slight congestion in one of my nostrils, might that be it or could it be something else...i also swallowed to listen out for the little popping sound in my ear and could only hear it in the right ear.​

 

[tbone1004]

mucinex D and some NSAIDS. take them tonight, and again first thing in the morning. try again. If you can't equalize in the left ear, don't go

 

[jbomb001]

Yea a reverse block is a bad time so I hear.

Sent from my galaxy S5 Active.

 

[H2Andy]

easy does it, and if you can't manage it out of water, don't get in the water

 

[bowlofpetunias]

No one dive is worth compromising your ear and possibly having to forfeit many more or all future dives. Just not worth it. Take it from someone who perforated an eardrum, missed a lot of dives and considers herself fortunate to be able to dive at all. I was just getting over a cold, I could equalize before the dive but it didn't save me

 

[Lopez116]

I also ruptured my eardrum (although not diving) and its kept me out of the water for almost six weeks now. It sucks missing one dive, but it sucks way more missing 6 weeks worth.

You may also want to try NeilMed sinus rinse. In my experience, it does a good job clearing up congestion too.

If you do give diving a shot, go feet first, slowly, don't force the equalization, and if it doesn't happen, just abort it.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Yeah I hear ya. I was still living in Canada and on a 3 month trip to Australia. I let the desire of not missing A dive cause me to miss nearly 8 weeks of diving:doh: I was sure mine happened on ascent not descent. I was new to diving at the time and it was a while ago.

 

[100days-a-year]

I use this stuff,I have one eustachian tube bigger than the other and get reverses easily.
Oxymetazoline nasal medical facts from Drugs.com
No rebound,no nervousness,cheap enough to keep a fresh one in my bag.I use it every AM before going diving and before bed if congested.
I dive for a living 6-8 months a year and days off aren't an easy option up to 120 miles from homeport.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Apparently I have the same issue. I went to an ENT guy to find out if the problems I have with earache and diving are because of the perforated eardrum .. he said nope... I the tube on that side is why that one give me a problem and probably contributed to the perforation with the congestion the last straw so to speak. I wear a hood ever dive to protect it as cold or current into that ear give me problems even in tropics a light hoot helps.

Thanks for the info.. I will have to check availability here. :worship: