Left ear feels clogged/weird noise after dive, can't hear well.

[Chrisjonny]

Chrisjonny, I agree with Steve_C in that a physician who examines you in person would be in a better position to answer your questions. Absent that, all anyone here can do is go by what you've written, and the worst-case scenario (and most likely based on what you've written IMO) is that you have inner ear barotrauma. If that's the case, your symptoms probably will not improve much, and you will risk further damaging the ear if you go under water again, either diving or snorkeling.

It's also possible that you have severe middle ear barotrauma, in which case the symptoms will probably resolve with time, and the gum-chewing and water-swallowing may be of benefit. I recommend you avoid the valsalva maneuver (pinch the nose and blow) and any other aggressive ear clearing.

Does your left ear feel like it's clearing or popping at all?

Best regards,
DDM

Since the first day it happened, I either got really used to hearing the ringing which makes me think it got better or it actually got better. I believe it did get better cuz if I clap my fingers next to the ear I can definetly hear better than two weeks ago. Any loud noise next to the ear make it ring more.

I don't think I've ever heard it pop since the first day it happened, its a continues ringing sound on the left ear for the past two weeks which it just feels it got a bit better, it never stopped riging,/got clear/popped since then.

Sometimes when I lay in bed tho I feel like the ringing increase and decrease on its own with no noise at all like someone turn the volume up and down.

Its kinda frustrating to believe this ringing noise won't go away for the rest of my life and I'm on my 20s.

 

[Chrisjonny]

Also I just took an online hearing test of high frequency to test how well my left ear can hear them compare to my right ear. My left ear(the one with the problem) can hear up to 7500Hertz, after that, the titinnus ringing is just to loud for it to hear such low sounds which are almost like the ringing that exist already. The right ear can hear up to like 17000Hertz. I can tell the difference immediately and this test can just prove the difference..

 

[Chrisjonny]

Update: I finally got examined by a doc. Your diagnosis over the internet about what it might be was pretty damn accurate. The ears are fine its an inner ear barotrauma which might never go away or not improve at all. I really didn't want to believe that what you said would be true but yeah, one bad dive can ruin ur hearing and give you a ringing for the rest of your life. Seems like I can't really be in quiet places much at all cuz ill get crazy. There goes all the spearfishing and the 1000$ gear I purchased this summer. Be carefully guys, that's probably the worst thing that could happen.I'll update the threat with my progress incase it ever help someone reading this.

Chrisjonny, I agree with Steve_C in that a physician who examines you in person would be in a better position to answer your questions. Absent that, all anyone here can do is go by what you've written, and the worst-case scenario (and most likely based on what you've written IMO) is that you have inner ear barotrauma. If that's the case, your symptoms probably will not improve much, and you will risk further damaging the ear if you go under water again, either diving or snorkeling.

It's also possible that you have severe middle ear barotrauma, in which case the symptoms will probably resolve with time, and the gum-chewing and water-swallowing may be of benefit. I recommend you avoid the valsalva maneuver (pinch the nose and blow) and any other aggressive ear clearing.

Does your left ear feel like it's clearing or popping at all?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[fmerkel]

Try taking some Ginko Biloba. Could take a couple months before it helps. Very low side effect profile. Made a difference for me and my brother. Neither of us had inner ear damage though. Damage was acquired in the 'normal' way of loud noise over time.
FWIW, neither of us were taking it for tinnitus. Having that mostly go away was a completely unexpected result.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Try taking some Ginko Biloba. Could take a couple months before it helps. Very low side effect profile. Made a difference for me and my brother. Neither of us had inner ear damage though. Damage was acquired in the 'normal' way of loud noise over time.
FWIW, neither of us were taking it for tinnitus. Having that mostly go away was a completely unexpected result.

That's interesting. Going to put that on the list of things to try (for myself).

Thanks,
DDM

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Update: I finally got examined by a doc. Your diagnosis over the internet about what it might be was pretty damn accurate. The ears are fine its an inner ear barotrauma which might never go away or not improve at all. I really didn't want to believe that what you said would be true but yeah, one bad dive can ruin ur hearing and give you a ringing for the rest of your life. Seems like I can't really be in quiet places much at all cuz ill get crazy. There goes all the spearfishing and the 1000$ gear I purchased this summer. Be carefully guys, that's probably the worst thing that could happen.I'll update the threat with my progress incase it ever help someone reading this.

I'm sorry to hear about that. Tinnitus can be difficult to deal with, though there are some therapies out there that can be beneficial for some people. This is not a product endorsement, it's based on personal experience, but I have used the Neuromonics device myself with some success. They also have a mobile app that can be customized based on your audiogram results. In either case you'll need a pair of high-quality earbuds (I use Bang and Olufsen 3i, again not a product endorsement, that's what came with the Neuromonics). The device helped with one acute exacerbation but it hasn't done much for the one I'm experiencing at present. It does mask the noise while I'm using it though.

Re diving again, the advice you were probably given was "don't". The rationale behind that is that there could be scarring that would make that part of your ear more vulnerable to damage in the future. Truly an unfortunate turn of events. Thank you for the update.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[fmerkel]

That's interesting. Going to put that on the list of things to try (for myself).
Thanks,
DDM

To expand on my experience. I've had a lot of inner ear infections as a kid. Actually diagnosed with upper range hearing loss in the 6th grade, worse by the 6th decade as you would expect. Had the early adult experience of working in sawmills and canneries without hearing protection. It was not an OSHA requirement (if it even existed in the early 70's) or even done back then. Actually little loud music abuse, surprising for my generation, but I didn't like big concerts and mostly couldn't afford them. General exposure to lawn mowers and the like. I protect what I have left somewhat fanatically.

Ginko was being taken as a memory aide (anything to be less dumb, eh?). Seems to have benefit in circulation, particularly cerebral but also for the eyes and possibly the ears. It's one of those herbs that gets touted as useful for damn near everything. I don't believe that, but I have been taking it for a few decades. It's one of my 'staples'.
Main probable side effect is blood thinning. You need to stop it well before any surgery. I don't have issues with bleeding or even easy bruising so have not seen any issues with this. For ME, there are no side effects I can tell at all.

The noticeable improvement in tinnitus was a pleasant surprise.

 

[Chrisjonny]

Update: so its been like a month and a week by now. The titinus is still there. Its at the same "volume" as it was one week after the incidence. No progression from what I can tell, I just got used to it so I ignored the fact that it was the same as it was before a month just cuz I have the same high frequency loss as back then.

The week that I was told by the doc that its inner barotrauma and he told me I'm prolly gonna stuck with it forever I got depressed and sad which is actually really bad because it made it worse and into a higher volume somehow.

After that week I got used to it, I think I got used to it pretty fast cuz I ignore the fact that I have something, the more you think about it the more it stuck on ur head. Even in complete silence at 3 am I I chose not to think about it and I sleep like I slept before. I haven't taken any drugs for titinus I know nothing will help and I don't wanna experiment with drugs that some docs say just cuz I got used to it myself.

I know its hard to believe you will just ignore a ringing on ur ear that is there non stop but you can do it. I heard on forums people got closed on their houses for months and even wanted to commit suicide for it cuz its like hearing voices from inside your head but instead of talking its a continues sound. There are people that lose hands and legs and keep going you should never think that way.

I found a cool trick on YouTube that it can make your titinus go away for like a min or two by taping your fingers behind your head idk if some of you that have titinus heard of it. Just search "titinus taping fingers relief" you will find it.

Sometimes its nice doing it. It feels you have nothing, you can hear the sound of silence .

 

[gypsyjim]

The Sound of Silence is not exactly silent...