New Diver - Ear Problem

[AbyssalPlains]

I experienced the exact same symptoms you describe. This is NOT water in your outer ear, this sounds like a mild barotrauma of your middle ear. Your eustachian tubes swelled shut during or after the dive and prevent the fluid buildup from draining out the eustachian tubes into your larynx. The fluid build up was caused by the inability of your middle ear to equalize, most likely because the eustachian tubes were blocked and prevented the exchange of air between your middle ear and your larynx. As a result, the underpressure in your inner ear cavity sucked fluid and possibly blood into your middle ear cavity. It sounds as if your tubes are still swollen and this fluid buildup can't drain but has to be reabsorbed through the tissues that produced it. This will eventually happen but it takes days. In the meantime, you experience the altered hearing with regard to sounds that your head muscles and bones produce. When that happened I couldn't get an appointment with an ENT in time, so by the time I got to see him, my ear had cleared up. However, I called the non-emergency line at DAN and a very helpful doc gave me the following advice: Use Afrin spray to spray into your nostrils, tilt the head back until you can feel the stuff running down your throat and then tilt your head forward again and very gently do the valsalva maneuver to equalize. Provided your tubes are not completely shut, this should get the Afrin into your tubes and help relieve the swelling. In addition you can take sudafed or a similar decongestant. The fact that you suffered a barotrauma in both ears may suggest a problem with your particular ear and eustachian tube anatomy or an issue with your equalization technique. My ears are fickle, too, and I have to pay very close attention to how I dive. I can't even dream of descending at rates that some if not most divers descend. Equalize BEFORE you dive, while on the surface, descend as slowly as possible, descend feet first, not head first, and equalize every foot. Pay very high attention to your ears at all times and don't let anything distract you from that. Many new divers experience ear problems at first, but with time and experience you will figure out the things you have to do to keep your ears clear. There is a fact sheet on the DAN website that you may find helpful:
DAN Divers Alert Network : Ear Squeeze (Ear Pain)
I would definitely recommend to have this examined by an ENT who is familiar with diving maladies as soon as possible.

 

[jon m]

The Diver's Ear: Under Pressure - UPDATE re Helpful Video



watch the video!!! ---practice , put your finger on your adams apple, and do it in a mirror (per the video). once you get it, it's like riding a bike. i used to always get ear barotrama(sp?) using the "pinch and blow" technique. it is really bad after several dives over several days. now , with the "throat clear" (don't know the technical term)
it is easy-peasy. and i never feel any discomfort, even after multiple dives.

 

[DandyDon]

The Diver's Ear: Under Pressure - UPDATE re Helpful Video

watch the video!!! ---practice , put your finger on your adams apple, and do it in a mirror (per the video). once you get it, it's like riding a bike. i used to always get ear barotrama(sp?) using the "pinch and blow" technique. it is really bad after several dives over several days. now , with the "throat clear" (don't know the technical term)
it is easy-peasy. and i never feel any discomfort, even after multiple dives.

Tell 'em Jon! :lol2:

Sounds just like this thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/diving-medicine/217364-water-ears.html where you'll see some very good answer.

Also see the video available on this thread about equalizing: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/di...r-under-pressure-update-re-helpful-video.html

 

[DisneyIslandDiver]

Just wanted to check and see what the doc said? From what i have heard, I agree w/ some earlier posts..... while it could be wax solidified, the possibility and risks of injury to your tympanic membrane (TM or commonly called the ear drum) as well as clogged eustachian tubes, you are wise to see at least a family practicioner if not the ENT specialist. The epistaxis (nosebleed) concerns me, only that the blood may be coming from the area of the inner ear. Did you have any blood from the ears as well?

I look forward to hearing the ENT's Dx, and wish you a speedy recovery and lots of fun and safe future diving.

 

[hammerhead man]

I watched the video and it was excellent!!!!! It really explains alot about ear trauma. It also clarified for me the techniques used to clear the ears. Thanks for the link. I have already sent the link to the video to some of my diver friends.

Regards,

Bill

 

[z3r0c00l]

Just to agree here with several posts - not sure about oil, how do you clean that out? - but I also personally use wax removal drops, OTC, to clean out my ears. This is very helpful and it stops the problem I get where I lose hearing in one ear due to what feels like water trapped, but is really just waxy mess.

Clean ears = not only fixing this problem, but I think also improving your ability to blow on the way down.

 

[anzac65]

Just to agree here with several posts - not sure about oil, how do you clean that out? - but I also personally use wax removal drops, OTC, to clean out my ears. This is very helpful and it stops the problem I get where I lose hearing in one ear due to what feels like water trapped, but is really just waxy mess.

Clean ears = not only fixing this problem, but I think also improving your ability to blow on the way down.

The oil comes out in it's own time. Maybe a bit on the pillow . It's really no different to your wax removal drops. I have used Earex (I don't know if you have that in the US) but my doctor told me that olive oil is just as effective, and possibly better as there are constituents in Earex to which some people may react.

Wax in your ears is supposed to be there. Just not in excess or as a hard lump.

 

[mikeandterri]

When I first started diving, I had the same problem. My solution is not to forcefully clear my ears; rather, I use a passive clearing technique. What you are describing is consistent with clogged Eustachian tubes. If you force air into them, you can further clog them. Try yawning instead, like you would do in a car going up a mountain, or in an airplane. The muscles that are activated when you yawn slightly change the angle of the Eustachian tubes, allowing pressurized air from your throat to enter and equalize the eardrums. I have not missed a dive since I started using this technique. Good luck.

 

[wjefferis]

After the dive I noticed that I had a small nose bleed.

I am not a doctor, but it almost sounds like you were a little "stuffy" prior to your dive. Many time when people dive when they have a runny nose or similar symptoms they can get a little blood in their mask after their dive. I remember diving with a lady who had a bit of stuffy nose before the dive and ended up with a bit of blood in her mask after the dive, but was otherwise ok. It is always best to not dive when your ears/nose are not 100%. If you continue to have ear pain or stuffyness I would check with your doctor.

As a side note I always put a mixture of alcohol, vinegar, and water into my ears after a dive to prevent ear infections. My Doctor told me to do this after I got an ear infection after diving about two years ago and it works like a charm.

 

[z3r0c00l]

Ive had some blood in the mask from simply pinching too hard. I now do a flat hand press on my nose rather than a pinch, much more gentle.