Few Questions on Cozumel

[ggunn]

It seems to be there is a pretty large percentage of divers who have some sort of ear issues. Always someone on the boat talking about bad or slow ears.

My issue is probably related to a ruptured eardrum I experienced in my 20's. I was swinging on a rope swing out over the water, and I landed badly from a height of about 15 feet with the left side of my head flat to the surface. That ear has never been right since, and that eustachian tube sometimes gets blocked for days at a time. On a dive vacation it gets harder and harder to clear that ear every day, and it has given me a couple of scares at depth even when I have taken pseudoephedrine for every dive. If I have to choose between running out of air and coming up with a reverse squeeze, that's not a good place to be.

This year I went to an ENT and got his recommendations for my trip later in May.

 

[cvchief]

Mine have always sucked. I called DAN and went to an ENT 3.5 hours away in Philly. Closest one. He was great. Apparently I was diving all that time without clearing. I came home from CZM with full ears every trip. I must have been wrecking them with the barotrauma. First time I got them to squeak, it was like Oh, THAT is what was supposed to happen. Now I hammer the H20 and Flonase a couple time a day while I am there. The squeek and squeal but they open. I have forgotten the proplugs on a couple dives too and it was still ok. I also spend alot of time clearing on the plane that I never used to do, just to keep them moving. ENT said I had a giant set of adenoids. I asked if they were brass but he didn't answer.

My BiL apparently ruptured his ear drum at Chankanaab. He had horrible kid ear issues. Something about holes and putting a flap over them. Day after the rupture that we didn't know about, we took him for a discover scuba. He was getting his lesson at Palancar pier when Alison waved me over. She pointed at him to clear again. A stream of bubbles came out of his ear. FREAKY. So no scuba for him and we took him to an ENT in town.

 

[Skittl1321]

It seems to be there is a pretty large percentage of divers who have some sort of ear issues. Always someone on the boat talking about bad or slow ears.

I'd say a large percentage of people have some sort of ear issues. They just don't matter much if you aren't diving. (Think of how many people complain about planes- needing to chew gum or something during take off. My ears clear well, so I never understood that. But man, flying when you have a cold can be brutal.)

 

[Brules]

I am with basscat and super thankful I can clear my ears like a champ.....!

Flonase just went OTC not long ago and I have seen 2 sizes - 60 pumps and 120 pumps for $12 and $24. If you can get to your Dr and you have a nice Rx co-pay you should be able to get it for much cheaper though. I think it has shown over the years that it is an excellent way to get your sinuses and ET's to heal/clear/work better.

For those using Flonase, watch this video below - it is a Dr showing how to "aim" the dispenser the best to get it in the right places so it can get into your ET's. I myself was doing it all wrong....found this helpful:

[video]https://youtu.be/AdX5SXcqNyI[/video]

 

[Lateralus]

She went for a follow up to her ENT after her MRI. She said that what she has is middle ear barotrauma. I told her that is what she probably had the day the incident occurred.

The ENT said she is okay to Dive.

I'm hoping the mild ringing in her ears will eventually heal itself.

 

[cvchief]

I am with basscat and super thankful I can clear my ears like a champ.....!

Flonase just went OTC not long ago and I have seen 2 sizes - 60 pumps and 120 pumps for $12 and $24. If you can get to your Dr and you have a nice Rx co-pay you should be able to get it for much cheaper though. I think it has shown over the years that it is an excellent way to get your sinuses and ET's to heal/clear/work better.

For those using Flonase, watch this video below - it is a Dr showing how to "aim" the dispenser the best to get it in the right places so it can get into your ET's. I myself was doing it all wrong....found this helpful:

[video]https://youtu.be/AdX5SXcqNyI[/video]

Thanks for the info. I wondered if the Rx would still work. Good reminder video too. It has been 4-5 years since the ENT showed me.

 

[LVFT]

This year I went to an ENT and got his recommendations for my trip later in May.

Would you mind sharing the ENTs recommendations? I understand no one should follow/give medical advice over the internet and what is recommended for one person might not be recommended for another. Thanks!

 

[ggunn]

Would you mind sharing the ENTs recommendations? I understand no one should follow/give medical advice over the internet and what is recommended for one person might not be recommended for another. Thanks!

With that caveat securely in place, he told me two squirts per side once a day.

 

[Brules]

Diver plugs, medicine and maybe a good private DM for 1st day diving and she should have a great time. I say private DM as he can practice slow descent and probably show her ways to clear her ears/work with her on it? Those guys dive so much and work with so many people they are usually very good at helping people with slow ears.

 

[ggunn]

Mine have always sucked. I called DAN and went to an ENT 3.5 hours away in Philly. Closest one. He was great. Apparently I was diving all that time without clearing. I came home from CZM with full ears every trip.

I'm sure you were at least partially equalizing. 3 ATM differential on your eardrums would have ripped them to shreds.