Ruptured Ear Drum Questions

[Bratface]

I ruptured my eardrum a few years ago while diving in Roatan. I was cleared to go diving 5 weeks later for a trip to Fiji. I tried to dive twice but could only get down to 20 - 30 feet with much pressure and discomfort in my ear. I decided to abort all dives and hang out with the Fijians. I still had a wonderful trip and more experiences with the locals than my buddies who were diving did. I was eventually able to resume diving without any problems.

I've tried Docs pro plugs in the past and didn't find them at all helpful. Maybe have your daughter be examined by the ENT doc again before you go. If she has any problems at all, she shouldn't dive. Not worth the pain and possibility of permanent injury and hearing loss.

 

[Theunis]

A friend of me was on a live-aboard at the Red Sea. On his first dive he ruptured an eardrum. There was a doctor on board as well. His advice to my friend, as a medical doctor, was not to dive for the remainder of the trip and his advice, as a diver, was to plug his ear with bubble-gum and do the dives. My friend took the bubble-gum advice and did his dives for the week without any major problems.

I am not sure how serious the rupture was.

 

[alibi 2]

I agree ,to have her evaluated by a DAN doctor and follow his advice..Always listen to your body and if you have pain you can't equalize don't go down....

 

[smw]

A ruptured ear drum can heal up very nicely - or not. Definitely, talk to the doctor and if you are told she's ok to dive, bring meds just in case.

I had ear tubes when I was little and one healed with a "flap" over the hole. It was nothing that really could have been seen by a doctor. At about 15 feet free diving, I blew it out. I was prescribed pain meds and antibiotics until I could get in to see the ENT. Believe it or not, my ENT put a stitch in my ear drum and I've not had any problems since (it's been at least 15 years since the stitch.)

I'd hate to see your daughter miss out on diving. So if the doc says ok, I'd just have the requisite meds along so that you can get her back to the states in a worst case scenario.

SMW

 

[slimshady]

I ruptured my ear drum several years ago while water skiing. It didn't bleed, but kept itching. 3 weeks later I went to the ENT. He said I had a rupture between two capillaries, which is why no bleeding, but it's already healed. His opinion was as long as I could clear without pain then shouldn't be a problem. Dove in Cozumel for a week without any problems and no issues since. My opinion, the rupture should be healed before diving.

 

[Isaac-1]

I would certainly make alternative plans, if you go through with the trip certainly carefully evaluate her condition after each dive and before starting the next one. A number of years ago I ruptured an ear drum while diving with students while I did dive again fairly soon, it gave me lots of trouble with inflamation after multiple dives keeping me from clearing my ears. It was 3-5 years before I could do serious multi day/ multi dive type trips, even now I still tend to take it easy on trips and skip a day of diving mid week.

Ike

 

[ripbearer]

We went back to our personal doctor the day before we left just to make sure the ear drum had healed. Our Dr is also a diver so he understands more of the importance of this situation. Bottom line he said it was healed and recommended she should not dive if she was feeling any pain. He also told her not to force any clearing whatsoever in case the healed portion had not 100% healed.

Instead of her diving all 3 days with me and my son, she swam with the dolphins at Chankanaab. She also visited the beach on the East side and went to the mercado. And as far as diving is concerned she dove a two tank dive, but was able to only complete one dive. That one dive she had no problems at all. She had so much fun diving Palancar Bricks. The second dive she had too much trouble clearing at around 10 or so feet so she decided to abort the dive and enjoy the sun on the boat.

We had an awesome time and 1 dive is better than no dives at all. Thanks for all your help!!!

 

[I Dive]

1) If you have to ask, there is enough doubt in your mind to not allow her to dive. Until or unless that doubt is resolved, don't let her dive.
2) Contact DAN and see what they say
3) Go see another ENT and for a second opinion

I have heard of people with ruptured drums being able to dive if they have the correct equipment but I'm not sure how soon after the rupture they were able to dive or any other details on what it took to get back in the water.