New OW Diver Ear Issues

[divergirl6]

Hi,
I'm new to both ScubaBoard and scuba diving and I just got my OW certification from PADI last weekend. On Saturday and Sunday I had two dives each day. I'd had trouble equalizing in my pool session, but my instructor said it was because I wasn't blowing hard enough against my pinched nostrils. During my first OW dive I had trouble again and my instructor wrote on his slate to blow harder. I did, I heard a squeak, and it worked. I didn't have any more problems equalizing after that. After the dives that day I had a little water in my ears and it cleared out almost all the way overnight. The next day it felt fine and I blew hard to equalize. It worked but after the dives I felt like I had quite a bit of water in my left ear. My instructor said it should clear up in a day or two.

I woke up this morning and I still felt it, except it didn't feel so much like water anymore. It just felt plugged. It didn't and hasn't hurt almost at all, except when I try normal techniques for getting water out the ear (like suction). My ear has been feeling plugged all day, at times feeling a bit of pressure. At some points when I swallow or yawn it seems to pop but after the swallow or yawn is finished it seems to pop right back in and feels the same as it did before. Right now it just feels like it's plugged and swallowing and yawning don't do anything. At times I hear/feel crackling when I swallow and yawn but it doesn't seem to unplug it. I just want my ears to pop! Advice please! (And thank you for taking the time to read this novella...)

 

[requin02]

It could be that you have some wax in your ears creating a small cork inside the conduit. This can make it harder to equalize as well as trap some water inside your ear (recipie for otitis). See a dr to check and clear your ear if need be and if that is the cause, the problem will be solved. Some people produce more wax than others (like me) and it is a good idea to have them checked and cleaned before your diving hollydays. The dr should also give u good advice to minimize the buildup.

 

[Scuba_Noob]

Blowing harder is probably not the best suggestion. It could cause damage and maybe even permanent damage if you blow too hard. I'm not sure how your instructor could tell that you weren't blowing hard enough. You shouldn't need to force it.

Underwater, if you can't equalize by trying all the methods (nose blowing, moving jaw, swallowing, etc.), ascend a little and try again. While descending, you should be equalizing every few feet before you feel the need to equalize. There's no shame in calling a dive due to equalization problems. Sometimes your sinuses (or something else) are plugged because of sickness/allergies (and if you're sick/plugged, you should not dive).

One of the worst things that could happen is that you could 'force' an equalization on the way down with something plugged and it gets worse during the dive. Reverse block can be very painful and damaging.

Not sure the solution to your current plugged state, except check with a doctor if it's still there tomorrow, just in case.

 

[Jak Crow]

If this is too much of a problem, IST has a mask with ear covers for people with similar issues. Reports have been favorable.

 

[dfx]

My whole family is blessed with too much earwax. We all have to constantly use ear drops (oil based) to keep the wax from accumulating and also do ear syringing every few weeks or so to clean out any residual wax. Afterwards I use alcohol based ear drops for disinfection (a lesson learned the hard way). Check with your family doctor to see if ear wax is really the problem.

I don't think this has anything to do with equalization though.

 

[diverzach]

I'm recently certified and on dive #10 I had some issues as well. My right ear was having problems equalizing and there was some pain. It's been 3 days and there is still a small amount of pain. And when I lay down on my right side I can hear my pulse pretty loudly in that ear; probably suffered some minor trauma. I was a little underweighted (don't need any weight with a steel tank, but apparently need at least 8 lbs with Al 80!) and I think having to fin down from the surface made quick equalization more important. I watched the UW video on the ear under pressure and next time I'll try the frenzel technique, but I'm really skeptical.

 

[victorzamora]

I had a problem that sounds the same. Due to fear of having blown an ear drum, I ran to the ER at 3AM (thanks to my Fiancee) to have the doctor flush my ear with hot water in a syringe with a tube. He told me that besides oil-based ear wax softeners or other ear wax solutions (available at your local WalMart), you can take a rag soaked in as hot of water as you can stand, and then put it over your ear. It'll melt the wax.

The two things that scared me is I had over 200 dives, and that I have no understanding of my inner ear.

10 days ago I went diving, and woke up with incredible ear pain. Assuming I had blown my ear drum THIS time (due to the vastly increased amount of pain), I consumed Ibuprofen, Sudafed, and Tylenol like Skittles along with some OTC ear drops. Went to the doctor, who prescribed some antibiotic ear drops and Sudafed, Tylenol, Ibuprofen. Ear infection. PAINFUL!

One piece of advice: Take some sort of NON-DROWSY decongestant before diving. It'll probably help equalizing issues. If not, look for an MD with some scuba experience. Mine told me you should NEVER pop your ears by holding your nose, diving or not. I said "Thanks" with a smile and just ignored that part .

 

[nelsonrl]

Try different methods to clear. Holding your nose and blowing is not the only way. You might try holding your nose and swallowing. That works better for me than blowing does. You might consider a visit to an ENT doc just to be sure nothing abnormal is happening.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Equalizing is a very individual thing. The pinch and blow maneuver should always be done gently, not violently. Also remember that for some people, an exhale through he nose, a yawn, a jaw wiggle, swallowing, rocking your head side to side, or when horizontal rolling your head side to side, can all be useful. Many posters here on scubaboard report that they do an initial "pinch and blow" prior to descent, and have a good result with that. Don't obsess. Take your time, use different techniques, and you should be fine. Finally, as a personal thing, I like to take one small red sudafed one hour before diving. No more, just that much. It seems to have a good effect as well.
DivemasterDennis

 

[DukeAMO]

Swallowing works much better for me. It's hard to swallow every few feet, but hey, whatever works.

That said, I have an appointment with the ENT in about 3 hours because I think I blew too hard against my pinched nose in the pool last weekend, and it's still feeling stuffy.