Help with my ears after diving

[fmerkel]

Why do discussions of problems with the INNER EAR, seem to always turn into suggestions for OUTER EAR treatment? It muddies the 'water'.

Come on folks, get your anatomy together. Stay on track.

 

[caruso]

Why do discussions of problems with the INNER EAR, seem to always turn into suggestions for OUTER EAR treatment?

Ok well, I might have messed up on which part of the ear is affected but who knows.. doctors make mistakes, it could be more than one thing. Keeping the outer ear dry certainly can't hurt and it might help troubleshoot the cause if in fact it's not entirely due to middle ear problems.

 

[tursiops]

Beat the Squeeze: Equalize Like a Pro

In my personal experience, and in teaching, I find the Valsalva technique not nearly so safe and helpful as the Toynbee, Lowry, or Frenzel techniques. All head up , not down. And often...before you feel the pressure in the ears.

 

[Felipe Gomez]

Hi Filipe, it sounds like we have similar experience (and experiences) of diving. I found that I was getting similar symptoms to yours, and in fact I got a couple of ear infections which were no fun at all.

It seems I was getting reverse blocks: I wasn’t equalising very well while descending, so that my eustacian tube would become a little inflamed and would become clogged with mucus.

Two things have really improved the situation for me.

Firstly, I saw a doctor with an ear nose and throat specialism and she suggested using a neti pot to clear my sinuses occasionally (I always use it before diving). It seems to help. While I was recovering from the ear infection she prescribed decongestants and anti-inflammatories. I also found it helped to wiggle my jaw from time to time.

Secondly, and most importantly, I have really concentrated on my equalisation technique. I am taking a breath for every metre I descend, and on each breath I use the valsalva manoeuvre. I also wiggle my jaw and tilt my head a lot.

At first I had been frightened of blowing too forcefully and damaging my ear drums, so that in fact I was not blowing hard enough to equalise. It has taken about 20 dives to get familiar with the technique. I usually go diving with a local dive shop team and they make a point of letting me start my descent before their other guests so that I don’t feel any pressure to rush my descent. That makes a big difference. I’m still quite slow at descending but I am getting a little quicker, and I no longer have any ear problems.

I really appreciate your comment, I will try to take your advices and prove it in myself. I really sometimes got frustration because the rest of the team descent very fast without complains and I have to take time. My instructor told me that I must descent without lines and actually lines make me feel more confident

 

[Felipe Gomez]

You are most welcome. Try descending in a head-up position, it's easier to equalize that way. Perform a Valsalva before you leave the surface, descend slowly and in control, and equalize early and often, even though it may not feel like you have to as @Pleinmont recommended above.

Here is a link to an article on barotrauma I wrote a few years back. The anatomy will be familiar to you but you may be interested in the pathophysiology.

Best regards,
DDM

Thanks you very much, I really like to meet another divers and pretty much if they are doctors. Sure I will read your article

 

[fmerkel]

You have to dive like YOU have to dive. Your instructor is not necessarily 'wrong', but they are being inappropriate in your case.
You can't force biology. You can learn new tricks, and improve technique. That's what learning a skill is.

I need to descend slowly....always anymore. I use the shore slope, kelp, anchor line, whatever is handy.
Ultimately you do have to learn to descend...slowly if necessary, without lines, using only your depth gauge, feeling in the ears, and sight if available. That is best mastered not in a class. Somewhere you can take your time and pay attention. A solid 30 foot rope in calm water that you can descend next to and grab only if necessary is a good training tool.

 

[Felipe Gomez]

You have to dive like YOU have to dive. Your instructor is not necessarily 'wrong', but they are being inappropriate in your case.
You can't force biology. You can learn new tricks, and improve technique. That's what learning a skill is.

I need to descend slowly....always anymore. I use the shore slope, kelp, anchor line, whatever is handy.
Ultimately you do have to learn to descend...slowly if necessary, without lines, using only your depth gauge, feeling in the ears, and sight if available. That is best mastered not in a class. Somewhere you can take your time and pay attention. A solid 30 foot rope in calm water that you can descend next to and grab only if necessary is a good training tool.

Yes. Indeed that’s the truth and an excellent advice

 

[Morne Christou]

Here is a great video on ear problems and diving.

 

[Pleinmont]

I thought it might be helpful to the OP and others if I posted a brief update.

I found the advice on this thread very useful and have been continuing to work on my equalisation technique. It helps that I can dive two or four times each weekend.

I no longer have any trouble equalising at all, and can descend at a reasonable speed. I use a neti pot abut two hours before my first dive, and do a little equalisation on the surface. It seems I had accidentally stumbled on the Edmonds technique, which I primarily use along with voluntary tubal owning, Lowry and Valsalva. I continue to equalise on each breath, about once per 3 feet/1 metre.

I haven’t been able to get to grips with frenzel but I feel that Edmonds in particularly allows me enough control over the force that I apply, so I do not feel I am at risk of over-pressurising my ears. I’d be interested to know what more experienced divers think about that (I’ve got 35 dives logged, so that’s pretty much everybody!). Am I being over-confident?

 

[roakey]

I feel that and sometimes I feel as I can feel my breath and voice in one ear.

Let me address this one specific part of your question. I think you have a similar "problem" that I have. "Problem" in quotes because it's not really one.

Sometimes, like after exercise, my right eustachian tube completely opens up for 10-30 minutes. Normally your eustachian tubes are collapsed and the various equalization techniques open them up for a moment so your inner ear can equalize to ambient pressure.

Sometimes my right tube opens up and stays open. During which time I can hear my voice loudly in my right ear, my breathing and especially humming. After awhile it closes down and things return to normal.

Is this what’s happening to you?

If so, on one hand it’s a diver’s dream – no need to equalize that ear at all upon descent since the tube’s wide open. On the other hand I’m scared to death of sneezing when it’s open because I’m afraid it’ll over pressurize my inner ear – I have no idea if this it a real worry or not, but it certainly feels that way!

Roak