New divers: Gear and Instructors

[Natedive]

Dear Divers,
I posted a thread earlier about which dive computer i should get between shearwater Perdix AI and Teric, and here is what i am gonna do: my husband will get the Perdix with AI and i will get the Garmin descent MK1. We also made a pool dive appointment (before our Cozumel dive trip)with our LDS, and we are going to test both products. If I did not like the Descent MK1, the website that i ordered it allows me to have a 100% refund, then i will get the Tric from our LDS.
The only reason i want to try MK1 is because it is the only dive computer has descent rent (correct me if i am wrong). Why do i need a descent rate? Long story short, I had a really bad ear pain and ended up in the ER when i was getting my OW certification. It was the type of the pain that stopped me from diving for almost two years. Luckily i did not rupture my ear drums but i was diagnosde with ear infection and retracted ear drum. Before you say anything about equalizing, i did everything i could when i was descending such as gently blowing my nose, swallowing, and moving my jaw. Maybe I just have sensitive ears.
After two years, i am willing to give it another try but this time i need to find a solution for my sensitive ears. This will lead to the topic this time: what gears can help with my ear pain and what else my instructor can help with this situation.
For the last 4 days i have been looking for gears that could help with my ear pain, and here are what i found and ordered. Please please let me know whether you have tried them or you hear about it from your dive buddies.
1. Docs Ear Plus, this product is suppose to block the amount of water goes into your ear and help with equalizing. Can you use it for a deep dive? Will it cause pressure diffences if both or one of them fell out of your ear?
2. IST ProEar dive mask, there are few good reviews about this products. Anyone tried it?
3. EarShield Water Repellent spay.
4. Ear drying Aid.
5. I also visited my family doctors, he recommended me keep using Claritin and Flonase.

Except gears for my ears, i am also considering a wetsuit, pair of fins and another dive mask (if IST ProEar did not work well), let me know what do you think about those products.
1. 3mm Mens Quantum stretch full wet suit
2. Seac Propulsion s / Mares Excite (my husband picked for himself)
3. Oceanic OceanVu
About my instructor:
I love my instructor and his entire team! He is the one who contacted his doctor and got me an ambulance in the middle of the night when i had my ear problem, and I doubt other instructors would do the same. He was soooo patient and encouraging and i could not ask for a better one. I have not met other instructors, and i do not know what other instructors would do to help with this situation. For you guys who are instructors, what would you do to help a student with ear pains? For you guys who have or had ear pain, how did you fix this issue? I know i am a trouble lol but I really really love diving!

Thanks for your patient and all your help!!!!!

 

[hhmoore]

Are you diving warm or cold water?
I live in the northeastern US; and have had ear problems in cold local waters. Generally, wearing a hood is enough to mitigate the issues for me. I can go without during pool sessions, or if I stay shallow during late summer dives...but if I hit the thermocline without a hood,i know I'm in for a bad time.
I had difficulty clearing with Doc's plugs under my hood; and I finally pulled them out... but I plan on trying them again at some point. (I have chronic sinusitis - a good day for me is still bad - so I can't/won't judge the product based on one experience).
I've also started using "ear beer", particularly after multiple dives or if the water is colder than usual.

 

[TMHeimer]

Doc's Pro Plugs--My experience is yes they keep water from going FAR into your ears. My hood usually does the same thing. Helping with equalising? I don't know (I never have problems with that anyway). People say they do help with equalising, but I'm still unclear how air going through a pin hole is better than air going through your big natural ear opening. But I think someone explained that to me before.

Ear Drying Aid-- After the dive I use a Q-Tip (I know many say don't do this but I've used them after each--daily-- shower my whole life with no problems and I'm 65 next month). I use them in between two dives in a day. After diving is done I put in some standard ear drops. I am prone to "swimmer's ear" and at times worse, and haven't had that since using this method.

 

[Natedive]

Are you diving warm or cold water?
I live in the northeastern US; and have had ear problems in cold local waters. Generally, wearing a hood is enough to mitigate the issues for me. I can go without during pool sessions, or if I stay shallow during late summer dives...but if I hit the thermocline without a hood,i know I'm in for a bad time.
I had difficulty clearing with Doc's plugs under my hood; and I finally pulled them out... but I plan on trying them again at some point. (I have chronic sinusitis - a good day for me is still bad - so I can't/won't judge the product based on one experience).
I've also started using "ear beer", particularly after multiple dives or if the water is colder than usual.

Warm water, i think i might have been diagnosed with chronic sinusitis when i was a kid, it was not very bad. I went on medication for awhile, then stopped taking it. Now, i can breath in and out pretty fine with some spry, but still feeling stuffed a little bit.

 

[Natedive]

Doc's Pro Plugs--My experience is yes they keep water from going FAR into your ears. My hood usually does the same thing. Helping with equalising? I don't know (I never have problems with that anyway). People say they do help with equalising, but I'm still unclear how air going through a pin hole is better than air going through your big natural ear opening. But I think someone explained that to me before.

Ear Drying Aid-- After the dive I use a Q-Tip (I know many say don't do this but I've used them after each--daily-- shower my whole life with no problems and I'm 65 next month). I use them in between two dives in a day. After diving is done I put in some standard ear drops. I am prone to "swimmer's ear" and at times worse, and haven't had that since using this method.

I dont have a hood, but will see if i have to get one after my first dive.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

Dear Divers,
I posted a thread earlier about which dive computer i should get between shearwater Perdix AI and Teric, and here is what i am gonna do: my husband will get the Perdix with AI and i will get the Garmin descent MK1. We also made a pool dive appointment (before our Cozumel dive trip)with our LDS, and we are going to test both products. If I did not like the Descent MK1, the website that i ordered it allows me to have a 100% refund, then i will get the Tric from our LDS.
The only reason i want to try MK1 is because it is the only dive computer has descent rent (correct me if i am wrong). Why do i need a descent rate? Long story short, I had a really bad ear pain and ended up in the ER when i was getting my OW certification. It was the type of the pain that stopped me from diving for almost two years. Luckily i did not rupture my ear drums but i was diagnosde with ear infection and retracted ear drum. Before you say anything about equalizing, i did everything i could when i was descending such as gently blowing my nose, swallowing, and moving my jaw. Maybe I just have sensitive ears.
After two years, i am willing to give it another try but this time i need to find a solution for my sensitive ears. This will lead to the topic this time: what gears can help with my ear pain and what else my instructor can help with this situation.
For the last 4 days i have been looking for gears that could help with my ear pain, and here are what i found and ordered. Please please let me know whether you have tried them or you hear about it from your dive buddies.
1. Docs Ear Plus, this product is suppose to block the amount of water goes into your ear and help with equalizing. Can you use it for a deep dive? Will it cause pressure diffences if both or one of them fell out of your ear?
2. IST ProEar dive mask, there are few good reviews about this products. Anyone tried it?
3. EarShield Water Repellent spay.
4. Ear drying Aid.
5. I also visited my family doctors, he recommended me keep using Claritin and Flonase.

Except gears for my ears, i am also considering a wetsuit, pair of fins and another dive mask (if IST ProEar did not work well), let me know what do you think about those products.
1. 3mm Mens Quantum stretch full wet suit
2. Seac Propulsion s / Mares Excite (my husband picked for himself)
3. Oceanic OceanVu
About my instructor:
I love my instructor and his entire team! He is the one who contacted his doctor and got me an ambulance in the middle of the night when i had my ear problem, and I doubt other instructors would do the same. He was soooo patient and encouraging and i could not ask for a better one. I never met other instructors, and i do not know what other instructors would do to help my ear problem. For you guys who are instructors, what would you do to help a student with ear pains? For you guys who have or had ear pain, how did you fix this issue? I know i am a trouble lol but I really really love diving!

Thanks for your patient and all your help!!!!!

Credit to your instructor, he sounds like a decent chap and realistically he did exactly the right thing by getting expert medical assistance. After all we are instructors not physicians. That said, most doctors do not specialise in Hyperbaric medicine. I would therefore recommend referral to a specialist (preferably a dive doctor) who can hopefully diagnose your ear condition and hopefully prescribe or recommend treatment. I know this may be expensive but you can't take unnecessary risks with your ears.

 

[Natedive]

Credit to your instructor, he sounds like a decent chap and realistically he did exactly the right thing by getting expert medical assistance. After all we are instructors not physicians. That said, most doctors do not specialise in Hyperbaric medicine. I would therefore recommend referral to a specialist (preferably a dive doctor) who can hopefully diagnose your ear condition and hopefully prescribe or recommend treatment. I know this may be expensive but you can't take unnecessary risks with your ears.

I will look for a specialist for sure, because i dont want to be the “pain-in-the-ass” student!

 

[Johanan]

Regarding the computers, if you plan to dive together as buddies, there could be an advantage in having same computers or at least of the same make. Theoretically it gives more chances that the NDL and deco stops will be the same for both of you.

 

[Natedive]

Found this is very informative!!!!

 

[FF / EMT]

Did anyone recommend taking a antihistamine such as cetirizine (Zyrtec) Benadryl or Claritin. Take them a few days before you dive so it gets into your system, also tilt your head back (looking up towards the surface) when equalizing