Right Ear Blocked/Water in Ear?

[LobstaMan]

Did two dives on Wednesday to 60fsw each(cold). After second dive felt like the hearing in my right ear was muffled. I did have to stop and clear my ears once on descent after right ear wouldn't equalize. At the time it felt like water got in behind my eardrum. Still feels the same way, but I can equalize both ears on land now. Absolutely no pain or discomfort now or then, just an odd sensation like a cotton ball stuck in my ear. This happened once about 12 years ago while diving in CA and it went away by itself(in fact, it was worse that time).

What do I have? Water behind my eardrum? There's no pain now nor was there any at the time, so I really don't believe I have an injury. Can I take one of those ear drying solutions, just wait it out or just see an MD? What about further dives?

Thanks for the advice,

LobstaMan

 

[SCUBA STEVE]

I am having the same problem right now. Went diving last Sunday everything was fine until Thursday night my left ear felt like it had a lot of pressure on the inside. No pain, still could hear fine. Friday morning woke up for work and started having some pain. Called my ENT, went in and he said my ear canal was starting to close up. So, now I have a wick in my ear can't hear crap, and feels like someone has a knife in my ear turning it. Said it was a nasty case of swimmers ear. MY QUESTION IS- is swimmers ear both the pressure on the inner ear (behind the eardrum) and my ear canal closing up? I have some questions I am going to ask the Dr. when I go back, especially about the mix to wash out your ears. If that will keep this from happening, I will use it after every dive. My advice is go see a ENT.

 

[RiverRat]

LobstaMan

Yes, go see an ENT. I squeezed my ears during OW dives and it took 3 weeks to heal, no diving. He prescribed Nasonex spray to help open me up. I'm prone to swollen nasal passages from allergies. The idea was the Nasonex "opened me up" to allow better drainage and the ears healed on their own.
Just because you have no pain now and it only feels like water in your ears does not mean you don't have an injury.

SCUBA STEVE
Swimmer's ear is an infection of the outer ear canal. Swelling, itchy, peeling skin. I'm not sure if it can get so bad as to swell the canal closed.
The "mix" you are referring to changes the PH of the ear to kill the infection.
I use 50% vinegar, 50% alcohol. Some folks use peroxide and vinegar. This basically changes the PH of the ear to acidic so the infection can't grow. Commercial products do the same thing.

Ear squeeze is when you fail to equalize properly (unless it's a reverse squeeze) causing pressure on the ear drum resulting in trauma. That trauma in turn causes fluid (plasma) to build up inside the ear causing that "water in the ear" feeling. If you really squeeze your ears bad enough you can rupture the eardrum, causing water to enter. The pain will then go away (you equalized ) but you now have a serious problem.

You may have both an infection and a squeeze.

I'm not a doctor so seek out a qualified ENT. There are many posts on the board about this stuff and somewhere there is a link to a good video on ear squeeze and physiology.

Good luck, dive safe

 

[LobstaMan]

Upon some research on the internet, I believe what I have might be 'Otitis Media w/ effusion'. In other words, water behind the eardrum w/o an ear infection. According to a few web sites, it should go away after two to four weeks or so. That's what happened to me the last time I had this condition.

LobstaMan

 

[Rick Inman]

Upon some research on the internet, I believe what I have might be 'Otitis Media w/ effusion'. In other words, water behind the eardrum w/o an ear infection. According to a few web sites, it should go away after two to four weeks or so. That's what happened to me the last time I had this condition.

LobstaMan

Ah ha! Me, too. Here is my post in this thread:http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?threadid=68334&s=

Oh, oh. Don't do what I did (and don't show my wife this thread).
I made a shallow dive, 0-25', and we did a lot of up and down to see where we were in the river. After the dive, my left ear was plugged. Didn't hurt, but the hearing was terrible, which was bad news 'cause I spent the next week in the studio mixing with one ear. Not good.
Anyway, the ear stayed plugged about two weeks, and I continued to dive - in fact I did 12 dives like that! You think it's hard to hear with a hood on, try it with one ear plugged!
Finally, after the 12th dive, while driving over a mountain pass at 3200', the ear just cleared right up. That was two weeks ago and I've made several dives with no ill effects.
But, like I said, don't do what I did. Go to a doctor.

 

[Afraid_of_Fish]

Did two dives on Wednesday to 60fsw each(cold). After second dive felt like the hearing in my right ear was muffled. I did have to stop and clear my ears once on descent after right ear wouldn't equalize. At the time it felt like water got in behind my eardrum. Still feels the same way, but I can equalize both ears on land now. Absolutely no pain or discomfort now or then, just an odd sensation like a cotton ball stuck in my ear. This happened once about 12 years ago while diving in CA and it went away by itself(in fact, it was worse that time).

What do I have? Water behind my eardrum? There's no pain now nor was there any at the time, so I really don't believe I have an injury. Can I take one of those ear drying solutions, just wait it out or just see an MD? What about further dives?

Thanks for the advice,

LobstaMan

This happened to me after my first dive trip to Florida. I went to the doctor and he said (ironicly he is also a diver, so he knows all about it) as long as it wasn't bothering me while I was diving, it was most probably a minor infection (I get those a lot. I have a lot of problems with my ears and diving).
I don't know what your problem was, but it may have been the same thing, as ear infections go away by themselves.

<33 Jess

 

[fins]

RiverRat,

Nasonex to open up your sinuses?

Just curious, did you ENT say this? The reason I'm asking is I thought nasonex, like flonase is only to block allergens, not to open sinuses.

 

[LobstaMan]

Rick:

Your story sounds like my last water behind the ear drum experience. If there's no pain, discharge or discomfort in my ear(just an odd muffled feeling), I'll just go with it. But, if I begin to experience one or more of these symptons, I'd go to an MD.

LobstaMan

 

[fmerkel]

RiverRat,

Nasonex to open up your sinuses?

Just curious, did you ENT say this? The reason I'm asking is I thought nasonex, like flonase is only to block allergens, not to open sinuses.

The allergies cause swelling, thus blocking the sinus passages. The nasal steroids help keep the passages open. I've been using one form or another for years and started using them basicaly for diving.

Fritz Merkel

 

[SCUBA STEVE]

I CAN HEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Went back to my ENT today (TUES) and he removed the wick from my ear. Told him about the ear wash mix mentioned on here. Said that it was great, gave me a sheet with his on mix on there. I have been in severe pain since FRI., I don't want to go through this again.