Major ear issues

[scubacindy888]

So I have been having an ongoing issue for about 8 months now.It started wit me feeling like I needed to clear my ears a lot.I have been out of the water for about a month so I didn't give it a lot of thought.It was mainly when I was going up or down in altitude driving. I had a 3 day class and by the last dive, I knew there was a issue. When to the doctor, the rx the usual.It wasn't clearing and I had to fly at in about a week and a half. Went to another urgent care and they gave me steriods etc. Told me I would be good to fly. I flew and it was still not letting up. Saw some doctors in Bali and had a lot of antibiotics and more steroids. I felt like on the land I had to continuously clear. Diving they were able to clear no problem. Flew back home and the tubes were completely blocked. Couldnt clear for the life of me. Saw several ENTs and they gave me more steroids. I finally saw another ENT would said that it sounded like negative pressure. He perforated the ear drums and the relief was almost immediate. About 1 1/2 weeks later, they closed again. He perforated again. Again a better. I had to fly about 3 days later back to Bali and they stayed open until a couple days after I landed. I went to the ENT in Bali. She did a CT scan and checked the ear drums and said middle ear looked fine. She sent me to the decompression chamber in Bali where I did 3 -2 hour rides and given a different type of steroid.It completely cleared up about 3 days later. Like nothing was ever wrong. The doctor told me to wait a week before diving.I did....dove 3 dive times and back it came. So back to the chamber. 3 more 2 hour rides and more meds. Didnt come back this time.Flew home....saw another dive ENT would did a balloon plasty on the tubes, sinuses and corrected a deviated septum. Now it is 2 weeks later. I feel like complete ****...ears feel stuffed...crunchy....pressure in my head...still feel like I need to clear.I am literally crawling out of my skin right now....does anyone have any insight to what this is?? am going more than a little crazy. Been out of the water since August and I am at my wits end. Thanks

 

[jfe]

Only thing I can tell you is try decongestants and see if it helps and get yourself a ProEar Mask, it helped me after I had to get surgery due to estuation tube problems. Was on steroid nasal spray and Sudafed for a couple of months. I was able to continue diving and switched back to normal mask about a year ago. I still alternate between the two if I feel the need.
The other theory was that my problem could be linked to reflux, there is a study on it but not substantial in the ENT world.

 

[scubacindy888]

Only thing I can tell you is try decongestants and see if it helps and get yourself a ProEar Mask, it helped me after I had to get surgery due to estuation tube problems. Was on steroid nasal spray and Sudafed for a couple of months. I was able to continue diving and switched back to normal mask about a year ago. I still alternate between the two if I feel the need.
The other theory was that my problem could be linked to reflux, there is a study on it but not substantial in the ENT world.

I have been on decongestant meds, steroids, sprays....you name it...they even gave me something for reflux as well....I am going to hit up a dentist in case it is TMJ also this week....Sudafed is making it so I dont kill people, but not relieving any symptoms. So did your completely clear up?

 

[jfe]

Mostly. I had grommets inserted twice in a row between 2012 - 2014. First for 6 months and about 6 months later again that stayed in for a year. Been good for 2 years now. Had a bad spell again due to the change into the desert climate coming to the Middle East.

 

[scubacindy888]

Mostly. I had grommets inserted twice in a row between 2012 - 2014. First for 6 months and about 6 months later again that stayed in for a year. Been good for 2 years now. Had a bad spell again due to the change into the desert climate coming to the Middle East.

Hoping they can figure it out soon...Teaching scuba is my full time work...Never had any issues before at all

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Cindy, sorry to hear about all this.

What was the rationale behind treating you in the hyperbaric chamber? You didn't mention any inner ear symptoms like vertigo, hearing loss or tinnitus that would make me think about decompression illness so I'm curious why that decision was made.

At the risk of stating the obvious, it sounds like this has turned into a chronic inflammatory process. @doctormike actually does balloon tuboplasties so he can speak more to the recovery time but I would think that after going through that, balloon sinuplasty and a deviated septum correction on top of the chronic inflammation you likely had, you would be expected to feel like **** at this point. When was your last post-op visit? Are you scheduled for another one soon?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[scubacindy888]

Cindy, sorry to hear about all this.

What was the rationale behind treating you in the hyperbaric chamber? You didn't mention any inner ear symptoms like vertigo, hearing loss or tinnitus that would make me think about decompression illness so I'm curious why that decision was made.

At the risk of stating the obvious, it sounds like this has turned into a chronic inflammatory process. @doctormike actually does balloon tuboplasties so he can speak more to the recovery time but I would think that after going through that, balloon sinuplasty and a deviated septum correction on top of the chronic inflammation you likely had, you would be expected to feel like **** at this point. When was your last post-op visit? Are you scheduled for another one soon?

Best regards,
DDM

I have another post-op today. The rationale behind it was possible DCI/DCS. The curious thing is after the first 3 rides, either the meds they were using, the O2 I was breathing or the chamber itself,turned it around at one point. Literally within a several hour period it went 100% back to normal

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Cindy,

Good to hear that you're going to be seen today. What symptoms did you have that made them think you had decompression sickness?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[scubacindy888]

Cindy,

Good to hear that you're going to be seen today. What symptoms did you have that made them think you had decompression sickness?

Best regards,
DDM

The thought process was that there may have been silent bubbles. Bali is really different in the way that that treat divers. Locals go to the chamber every 6 months for a "wash". They run the chamber twice a day every day and use it for a variety of reasons~ear issues, open wounds. brain injuries...

 

[KathyV]

I felt absolutely terrible after sinus surgery to open up the sinuses and correct a deviated septum. I just sat around and cried for the first few days and felt like I wanted to die. It slowly started to get better but it took time. Eventually I was glad that I had it done. I am sorry that you have had such a miserable time, I hope they come up with a good solution for you soon.