- Messages
- 1,035
- Reaction score
- 605
- Location
- Seattle/Singapore/Indonesia
- # of dives
- I just don't log dives
This is my first post in diving medicine.
Background: After decades of diving, I have yet to experience a substantial ear infection. I have never had a problem equalizing while diving or flying.
Timeline: Recently, after a few weeks of diving (3 dives per day, teaching, guiding or fun diving), my left ear became a bit clogged - described as a subtle fullness. I could still equalize. After morning dive, I stopped diving and waited a few days. I used ear drops (mixture of alcohol, vinegar, and glycerin). This did not help. A week later, I took the first flight back home and visited my GP (in Singapore). FYI, the change of elevation was not painful to my clogged ear. After looking at my outer ear and ear drum, he did not think that their was a medical problem. At this point, I should have listened to my inner voice and visited an ENT.
Visit to ENT: Three day later, the fullness in my ear increased substantially. I felt like I had a cotton ball in my ear and the pressure resulted in a mild headache. The clogged ear is not associated with pain. I visited my ENT and the real time images shows an inflammed ear drum. My middle ear was full of fluid and that it could not drain via the Eustachian tube. He prescribed oral antibiotics and a strong decongestant. He asked that I return in four days. At that point, he thought that my ear would clear up and drain or my ear drum might rupture due to the pressure. He suggested that if the inflection does not clear and the fluid remanis in my middle ear, he might have to make a small incision in order to drain my ear. At this point, I became a bit alarmed. What happens if my eardrum does not recover and it remained perforated. Should I get a second opinion? Does anyone have similar experiences with positive outcomes?
Background: After decades of diving, I have yet to experience a substantial ear infection. I have never had a problem equalizing while diving or flying.
Timeline: Recently, after a few weeks of diving (3 dives per day, teaching, guiding or fun diving), my left ear became a bit clogged - described as a subtle fullness. I could still equalize. After morning dive, I stopped diving and waited a few days. I used ear drops (mixture of alcohol, vinegar, and glycerin). This did not help. A week later, I took the first flight back home and visited my GP (in Singapore). FYI, the change of elevation was not painful to my clogged ear. After looking at my outer ear and ear drum, he did not think that their was a medical problem. At this point, I should have listened to my inner voice and visited an ENT.
Visit to ENT: Three day later, the fullness in my ear increased substantially. I felt like I had a cotton ball in my ear and the pressure resulted in a mild headache. The clogged ear is not associated with pain. I visited my ENT and the real time images shows an inflammed ear drum. My middle ear was full of fluid and that it could not drain via the Eustachian tube. He prescribed oral antibiotics and a strong decongestant. He asked that I return in four days. At that point, he thought that my ear would clear up and drain or my ear drum might rupture due to the pressure. He suggested that if the inflection does not clear and the fluid remanis in my middle ear, he might have to make a small incision in order to drain my ear. At this point, I became a bit alarmed. What happens if my eardrum does not recover and it remained perforated. Should I get a second opinion? Does anyone have similar experiences with positive outcomes?
