Perforated Eardrum Question

[mmcdds]

Two weeks ago I had an unfortunate accident with a Q-tip (don't ask, it was really stupid) and put a 2mm perforation in my left eardrum. According to my ENT the perforation is now closed and the residual fluid behind the eardrum is slowly clearing with the antibiotics he gave me. My question is this, since the accident I have seen three MD's about my ear (my regular doc immediately after the accident occurred, then two different ENT docs from the same ENT practice), none of these doctors are dive medicine doctors and they all gave me different times that they felt were safe for me to return to diving, the first doc said 2 months, one of the ENTs said 4 months and the other ENT said 6 months, which one is it?

I know everyone is different, but I'd kind of like to get a feel for how long it took for you other people with similar injuries to get back to diving and how your ears behaved when you finally did get back.

Thanks

 

[Green_Manelishi]

Two weeks ago I had an unfortunate accident with a Q-tip (don't ask, it was really stupid) and put a 2mm perforation in my left eardrum. According to my ENT the perforation is now closed and the residual fluid behind the eardrum is slowly clearing with the antibiotics he gave me. My question is this, since the accident I have seen three MD's about my ear (my regular doc immediately after the accident occurred, then two different ENT docs from the same ENT practice), none of these doctors are dive medicine doctors and they all gave me different times that they felt were safe for me to return to diving, the first doc said 2 months, one of the ENTs said 4 months and the other ENT said 6 months, which one is it?

I know everyone is different, but I'd kind of like to get a feel for how long it took for you other people with similar injuries to get back to diving and how your ears behaved when you finally did get back.

Thanks

If the perforation is closed that is one obstacle overcome. The fluid behind the ear drum will drain out as the eustachian tube is open to allow drainage. If you are on antibiotics then you are being treated for infection and you'll want to run the full course of treatment and know the infection is gone before you try to dive. If you close that infection in again it could cause beaucoup problems.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

FWIW, which isn't much, I think I was 3-4 weeks total, which was 1 week after I know for sure it was healed as I was seen by an ENT.

I hardly remember which ear it even was in now. I don't even think I gave it much thought on my first dive back. I did however do some ear equalizing a few days before my planned dive to see how things would go.

Prior to that I was seriously cautious about any sort of equalizing (I didn't do ANY) and also I didn't allow any moisture/water to enter the whole time either. I had no infection problems to contend with either.

YM WILL Vary from what I was told.

I was a best case scenario from what I hear.

 

[Bratface]

Call DAN and get referred to an ENT specializing in dive medicine. I got severe ear squeeze from a too tight hood a few years ago and couldn't dive for five months. I didn't have a perf, but immediate attention from the right doctor saved my hearing and my diving.

And keep the Q-tips out of your ears!