Inner Ear Dcs

[hossam]

Greetings


I was doing deep trimix dive in sharm alshekh (Egypt) it was for 65 meter including helium breathing and I follow all the decompression plan I didn’t violate any rule but after 30 minutes from surfacing up I felt that my left ear is blocked so I thought it is normal block and I bother (I didn’t fell dizziness or unbalance or vomiting) then the next day I did another dive to 75 meter and again I wasn’t having any problem in equalization or anything then after this day I rested for one day and took plane to hurghada to do a safari trip which will last for a week I went to ENT specialist and said that It is only a blocking in my middle ear and give me an ear drops treatment, I begin to use it with no improvement after that week I travelled back to Kuwait and went to ENT specialist again he did for me a middle ear pressure test found normal, then he said we need to make extra test including a hearing test, he diagnose it as a sudden hearing loss, he give me steroids treatment and 10 hyperbaric o2 treatment, after I finished the o2 treatment I went to ENT specialist again and did another hearing test with no improvement at all he said to me to stop the steroids treatment and the o2 treatment also. so my question now is the bubbles still in my body or it is gone by one and left this trauma to my ear?, is there anything I can do more that that?

regards

Hossam

 

[DocVikingo]

[NOTE: Based on your description thus far, it is not clear that you have sustained inner ear DCS v some other form of ear injury.]

... so my question now is the bubbles still in my body or it is gone by one and left this trauma to my ear?

Hi Hossam,

The inert gas bubbles responsible for DCS may be best thought of as the gateway to a complex array of consequences & effects. The bubbles that cause DCS disappear quite quickly after setting this array motion. The lingering signs/symptoms of DCS are the result of trauma that has occurred secondary to tissue distortion, obstruction of blood flow, mechanical damage, biochemical responses (e.g., inflammatory or coagulation responses), or other factors, either singly or more likely in combination. The trauma caused by DCS eventually may resolve completely or partially, or be permanent.

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual and should not be construed as such.

 

[hossam]

greetings

I was just curious Couse I read that this bubbles can enter the brain and do more damage, so from what I understand that the bubble itself will disappear even if it is not treat it but will leave whatever it did and this in my case is inner ear barotrauma and this may resolve completely or partially or permanent.

just another question is there any other treatment or something I could do to regain the loss in my hearing ?

can I dive again? if yes when?

regards

Hossam

 

[DocVikingo]

just another question is there any other treatment or something I could do to regain the loss in my hearing? can I dive again? if yes when?

Hi Hossam,

As was stated in my initial post, "Based on your description thus far, it is not clear that you have sustained inner ear DCS v some other form of ear injury", and the likelihood of return of hearing is related to what caused the loss. Until your ENT sorts this out, it would seem prudent to follow his advice, e.g., discontinue the steroids & hyperbaric O2. You should also follow his advice regarding return to scuba.

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual and should not be construed as such.

 

[JTinSD]

I had the same thing happen in February in Cozumel. Hearing in my left ear is gone and likely to be permanent. The condition is called SSHL (Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss) and the cause is usually never found. The middle ear is not affected and the equalizing mechanism is still okay. I'm cleared to dive and will do so next week. YMMV.