Hurt my ear yesterday

[Florabama]

Yesterday, started the day with a dive to 90 fsw. Was fine until I shot a snapper and swam down to get her at the end of my spear line. I was at about 80 fsw and swan down to the bottom of the wreck at 90 fsw. My left ear started hurting, and I could not clear it -- even when I immediately started up. All the way up, my ear was making funny squeaking sounds.

When I surfaced, it was hurting a little, but after a while quit hurting. I changed tanks and went back in the water for a second dive, and had excruciating pain and vertigo nearly as soon as I hit the water. I aborted the dive, and my ear hurt for several hours. By the time I got home, it was OK. I took some ibuprophen and it seems OK now. There was no blood that I or anyone else saw, so I don't think I perforated the eardrum.

What do y'all think happened?

 

[Davetul]

Probably just needed a clear when you were at 80', and when you went to 90' and tried to clear, you were too deep. When this happens to me (pain), I go up until it stops, then clear, and I'm usually fine for the rest of the dive. If I have any pain in my ears when I'm underwater, I make sure I'm fully cleared before the ascent, then go up slowly, stopping every 10' or so for full equalization. The second dive...I don't know, maybe just had some pressure still in there and when you hit the water the slight change in pressures just reminded you that something was wrong.

Oh, the squeaking...my ears make that all the time when I am ascending, tells me I'm clearing on the way up. Also lets me know if I'm changing my depth if I'm not paying attention.