New diver question

[k2x5]

Hi All,

Went diving last Saturday on the Atlantic and Jane McLeod, but I didn't wear a hood. So, most of the week my ear has been hurting like a bugger. Any suggestions for an easy way to fix this?

P.S. I mean other than 'Wear your hood the next time'! Yes, I've already learned my lesson.

 

[Groundhog246]

Don't know that you could cool your head (primary purpose of the hood is warmth) enough to cause ear pain. I think it might be possible it chilled your ears enough to reduce sensitivity to pain during the dive and you've suffered a baurotrauma from inadequate equalizing. Or you may have picked up an ear infection. That'd take at least a couple of days after diving to develop pain though. I'd recommend seeing an ENT before any more diving (or else you may permanently end your diving). Certainly do not dive until you've had no pain at all for a few days.

A friend just posted this link http://www.uwtv.org/programs/displayevent.asp?rid=789 to a great video (55 minutes) on equalizing your ears.

 

[k2x5]

Don't know that you could cool your head (primary purpose of the hood is warmth) enough to cause ear pain. I think it might be possible it chilled your ears enough to reduce sensitivity to pain during the dive and you've suffered a baurotrauma from inadequate equalizing. Or you may have picked up an ear infection. That'd take at least a couple of days after diving to develop pain though. I'd recommend seeing an ENT before any more diving (or else you may permanently end your diving). Certainly do not dive until you've had no pain at all for a few days.

A friend just posted this link http://www.uwtv.org/programs/displayevent.asp?rid=789 to a great video (55 minutes) on equalizing your ears.

Sorry, I guess I should have explained a little more fully.

I shoul dhave been asking what to do about an ear infection caused by diving without a hood. It's definately not an equalization problem, as I have never had even the slightest bit of difficulty with eq.

Well, it'll go away in a day or so anyway.

 

[Groundhog246]

You can get an ear infection with or without a hood. Best preventative is post dive ear drops that will both dis-infect your outer ear canal and help remove any water left (by reducing the surface tension of the water). There are a couple of spots I avoid diving due to the number of ear infections that happen there and several others where I always apply drops post dive. Lacking drops, dilute hydrogen peroxide works well.

 

[maj2]

Well, it'll go away in a day or so anyway.

Don't count on it-- it has been almost a week.
I agree with Groundhog246 that it may well be an infection, and that the lack of a hood is probably irrelevant. Barotrauma is also a possibility.
If it is an infection that has had close to a week to progress, will most likely require antibiotic treatment with or without a corticsteroid.
See a physician... sooner rather than later.

 

[Stoo]

Most external ear infections are caused when the ear is exposed to "dirty" water, and isn't dried properly. The lack of drying is often due to a wax buildup in the external ear canal. So, just squirt a little Pledge in there once in a while to reduce that waxy buildup...

Seriously though, keeping the canal clean can be accomplished with occassional flush with Hydrogen Peroxide. Warm it to body temperature, and when you are in the shower, just pour a wee bit into your ear, making sure it goes right in by "squishing" around the entrance to your ear with your finger. If you have guck in there, you'll hear it fizzing and stuff. After a couple of minutes, rinse your ear out with clear water. Once every month or two is probably enough, and whatever you do, don't be jamming a Q-Tip in there... it just compacts everything.

Assuming you have an infection, use an ear drop such as Burosol or Domboro-otic. To speed things along, soak a bit of cotton batten with the stuff, and loosley pack it into your ear before bed... Odds are, you'll be spiffy in a jiffy!

Certainly, a trip to your Doc to get a look is a good idea, but the steps above won't hurt either... unless I suppose if you have perforated your eardrum, which (a) doesn't sound likely and (b) probably would have healed by now anyway...

A simple trick to test if you have an infection... tug your ear lobe.. if it makes your ear hurt, you probably do. If it doesn't increase the pain, you might have an internal infection or trauma.... both require professional help!

I agree with the others though, the use of a wetsuit hood probably doesn't matter with respect to an infection. Long term exposure to cold can cause hearing loss years later though, so be careful. If your hood isn't comfy, get one that is.. or a drysuit with a dryhood, such as a Viking.

BTW, I'm not a doctor. But after several years of lifeguarding, a few of competitive swimming, 20 years of SCUBA instruction, and 31 years of diving (including 2 summers commercially in Hamilton Harbour and Lake Erie way back when...) I have learned a thing or two about ear puss. Good luck!