San Francisco dive doctor wanted

[lee3]

My wife and I are avid divers and lately she has been having problems clearing her ears upon descent. Sometimes it's quite painful and no matter how slow she takes it or how high she ascends to lower the pressure, the problem persists. Can anyone reccommend a great doctor in san fran or the surrounding area with experitse as to our boides with respect to diving? thanks in advance

 

[zinmaker]

Hi,

Does she have problems when traveling and driving at high altitudes or with the pressure change of an airplane? They have some earplugs for divers that cost about $10.00 I forget the name of them, they have cured the problem for lots of divers, and the people that use them swear by them. Has your wife ever been to an Ears Nose and Throat doctor?

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Earplugs aren't going to solve a clearing problem, and can be quite
dangerous. Normal plugs would be forced into the ear canal by the
water pressure -- a very bad things. There are plugs that have a
water permiable filter that A) keep the plankton out of the ears and
B) keep the inner ear warmer. But I don't think that's the root of
your wife's problem.

You need an ENT doc who understands diving. The question has
come up on ba_diving several times and I'll see what I can dig
out of the archives when I get home.

 

[WileEDiver]

Can anyone reccommend a great doctor in san fran or the surrounding area with experitse as to our boides with respect to diving? thanks in advance

Try

Dr. Andrew B. Newman, MD FCCP
750 Welch Road, Suite 104
Palo Alto, CA 94304

(650) 328-5222

He specializes in Undersea Medicine.

 

[renpirate]

I was looking for doctors who have a specialty in dive medicine and DAN (Diver's Alert Network) refered me to the following physicians. I haven't contacted them, but its a place for you to start.

Name: Benjamin Slade
Location: San Pablo, CA
Zip: 94806
Phone: (510) 235-3483

Name: Paul Cianci
Location: San Pablo, CA
Zip: 94806
Phone: (510) 235-3483

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Try

Dr. Andrew B. Newman, MD FCCP
750 Welch Road, Suite 104
Palo Alto, CA 94304

(650) 328-5222

He specializes in Undersea Medicine.

Since the Yahoogroups search sucks (it only does the most recent posts), I searched
my private ba_diving archive. There were multiple recommendations for Dr. Newman,
and one each for several other who would not be as geographically desireable. So I
think Dr. Newman would be the choice.

 

[CALI68]

Good info Chuck and Dan!

Thanks!

 

[lee3]

We sincerely appreciate everyone's help and shall call Dr. Newman in the morning.

 

[divenut2001]

Hi,

Does she have problems when traveling and driving at high altitudes or with the pressure change of an airplane? They have some earplugs for divers that cost about $10.00 I forget the name of them, they have cured the problem for lots of divers, and the people that use them swear by them. Has your wife ever been to an Ears Nose and Throat doctor?

Those are Doc's Pro Plugs http://proplugs.com. Some dive shops do carry them. They make earplugs especially made for scuba and have heard from people that use them that they work great. However I have to agree with Chuck and would be leary on sticking anything in my ears when diving...

 

[zinmaker]

Thanks Divenut

Proplugs that is the name of them!