Prospective diver - ear problems.

[bennenrkc]

Hi My name is Ben,

I would love to take up diving, some of the pictures that you people post are just way to enticing, let alone I love water, anything about it. Which brings me to my problem, water doesnt seem to like me.

I have had 3 sets of Tubes as a kid. Just about everyother time I go into the water I get an earache. They have become so routine for me that I dont go to the dr. and often times go on with my day no problems whatsoever. I am concerned about diving, because of the amount of pressure involved. I can equalize pressure in both of my ears without a problem, with the exception of my left ear which ever since I was a kid I have been able to blow air through it (i periodically have been able to do that with my right ear). It was only recently when discussing diving with my wife that I learned that was not normal.

I have a meeting with an ENT (not approved or reffered to by DAN as I live in Iowa and Diving isnt that common), on March 27th and I would like to know as much as possible before going in.

I have done as much research as I can online and feel that I have a somewhat good handle on it but would like other people's experience/advice to help guide my way.

I have read about doc's proplugs, (vented) I have a set on the way that I am going to play with in the pool.

I have read about the ProEar 2000. I also have one of these on the way to try at the local pool.

I have also read that their are several people that are able to dive using these to devices even though they have a perforated ear drum. But are there other devices that I should be looking into?

If this is in the wrong subsection of the forum, mods please move it.


Thanks in advance.

 

[Scuba_Noob]

There's a medical forum that you can cross-post within, where a few dive doctors frequent (Diving Medicine). They can give you some preliminary advice.

I also recommend going to an actual dive doctor for a full dive check-up. You might not get great medical advice on a forum. DAN probably has a list of your local dive doctors.

 

[bennenrkc]

I already asked DAN for a list of doctors that they work with and they said there were none in my area. So I am going to go to an ENT that I trust to send me to someone else if he doesnt feel comfortable.

Thanks I will cross post this in the med forum.

 

[R-balljunkie]

Ben,i had tubes in my ears as a kid...just moved to saudi arabia at that time, worst summer for a 6th grader, having to sit on the sidelines while everyone else hit the pool on those hot summer days. i digress. i believe earplugs are available, although ive never had the need to try them. my thoughts are it takes time and repetition to build up the tolerance. once you get past 25' the pressure settles down, and you will not notice a difference in pressures all the way down to 140'. it'll feel the exact same. i have more ear problems goofing off in the deep end of a pool trying to touch the botom.ive been conditioned over the last few years, i can sink like a rock down to 80' in no time...very casually clearing along the way.i think the bad part is, if you start a class and wont be able to get to depths, you'll have problems with your ears in the 20' area, whereas if you went a little deeper, the problem would probably disappear.good luck!!chuck