Second day diving, at home with water in the ear. What do you do?

[TinoD'Voe]

Hi there, I posted a question yesterday about my dive experience and some serious sinus problems. Today my girlfriend, who was in this openwater course with me, went ahead with the last dives, finished the course, yet is sitting at home with a miserable plugged ear.

She says that it feels like there's water going from her ear to the back of her throat and when she swallows there's a bubbling sound. There's pressure throughout the ear and up the side of her head and it's giving her a headache, and hearing is difficult. She's been trying to clear it for hours and she's feeling miserable (and a little grumpy which sucks for me).

Anyone have some advice on what we can try? I read some stuff about the vinegar/alchohol drops on this forum, but I'm not sure if this is the right situation to use it since we're possibly dealing with the eustachian tube here.

Any help will be appreciated, Thanks!

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi there, I posted a question yesterday about my dive experience and some serious sinus problems. Today my girlfriend, who was in this openwater course with me, went ahead with the last dives, finished the course, yet is sitting at home with a miserable plugged ear.

She says that it feels like there's water going from her ear to the back of her throat and when she swallows there's a bubbling sound. There's pressure throughout the ear and up the side of her head and it's giving her a headache, and hearing is difficult. She's been trying to clear it for hours and she's feeling miserable (and a little grumpy which sucks for me).

Anyone have some advice on what we can try? I read some stuff about the vinegar/alchohol drops on this forum, but I'm not sure if this is the right situation to use it since we're possibly dealing with the eustachian tube here.

Any help will be appreciated, Thanks!

The condition that you describe almost certainly involves the middle ear space. As such, placing drying drops within the external auditory canal will do nothing for the compliants. If the symptoms last for very long, the prudent diver will seek medical attention.

In the meantime, the judicious use of a decongestant and product for the control of mild pain, application of a warm (not hot) moist compress over the ear area on the affected side, and sleeping/resting with the head slightly elevated, affected ear higher, may provide some relief.

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[fmerkel]

Go here: http://faculty.washington.edu/ekay/
Read the article, watch the video on ear clearing. Make sure your girlfriend does also.
Also check out the DAN Medicine site I sent you in your sinus question for relevant links. Both of you have the most common medical problems in diving. If you don't get them dealt with immediately you may as well give up diving before you spend more money and time on it.

Fritz Merkel

 

[MikeFerrara]

Very common in new divers especially if they aren't taught how to control their descent speed. As the good doc points out water won't get into the middle ear...meaning it's blood or other bodily fluids that were sucked in during the squeeze.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Hi there, I posted a question yesterday about my dive experience and some serious sinus problems. Today my girlfriend, who was in this openwater course with me, went ahead with the last dives, finished the course, yet is sitting at home with a miserable plugged ear.

She says that it feels like there's water going from her ear to the back of her throat and when she swallows there's a bubbling sound. There's pressure throughout the ear and up the side of her head and it's giving her a headache, and hearing is difficult. She's been trying to clear it for hours and she's feeling miserable (and a little grumpy which sucks for me).

Anyone have some advice on what we can try? I read some stuff about the vinegar/alchohol drops on this forum, but I'm not sure if this is the right situation to use it since we're possibly dealing with the eustachian tube here.

Any help will be appreciated, Thanks!

Tino,

I had similar issues when I first started diving. Unfortunately, not much works. When I had the ear problem, I took ibuprofen for the pain, and it did help. The pain lasted about 2 weeks. I experienced water in my ears and pain regularly after diving until I figured out I was clearing my ears too forcefully and creating a negative pressure that pulled water in. At least that's my guess on what was happening. Ever since, I've been careful not to clear too forcefully and haven't had any problems. Your girl friend shouldn't dive until the current problem resolves. Have her pay closer attention to her ear clearing next time she dives, though. In the meantime, she should have a doctor check her ears to make sure she doesn't have an infection brewing. The inflammation and pain will eventually resolve, but an infection is a different story. This is also not to be taken as medical advice. This is just my personal experience and how I dealt with it. Hope this helps!

 

[lamont]

ditto on having middle-ear issues right after BOW.

i got really worried for awhile that i wouldn't be able to dive due to some kind of congenital issue with my ears.

stick with it, but take it easy, its not a race. take a little time off until your ears feel better, and take your descents real easy and practice buoyancy control.

 

[TropicalDiver]

Got that too on my first certification dives - felt like I had water in my ear (could hear it rattling around) that I just couldn't shake out....no pain though.

Went to the MD and found out my middle ear had filled with fluid (body fluid) and was pulling the eardrum inwards (towards center of head), so couldn't do anymore diving/pressure on eardrum wouldn't be good. Took about 2 weeks to clear on prescription decongestants and nonsteriodal inhalants - yeech, what fun!

Basically, was congested and clearing too forcefully, which irritated eardrum. Since then, stopped smoking , take decongestants before diving, and clear often (every breath). No problems since!

Good luck. It's a pretty common problem and quite workable!

 

[DocVikingo]

Got that too on my first certification dives - felt like I had water in my ear (could hear it rattling around) that I just couldn't shake out....no pain though.

Went to the MD and found out my inner ear had filled with fluid (body fluid) and was pulling the eardrum inwards (towards center of head), so couldn't do anymore diving/pressure on eardrum wouldn't be good. Took about 2 weeks to clear on prescription decongestants and nonsteriodal inhalants - yeech, what fun!

Basically, was congested and clearing too forcefully, which irritated eardrum. Since then, stopped smoking , take decongestants before diving, and clear often (every breath). No problems since!

Good luck. It's a pretty common problem and quite workable!

I rather strongly suspect it was your middle, not inner ear that was involved. An inner ear filled with fluid might impact upon the oval & round windows, but not the eardrum. This is not to mention that you'd almost certainly have a lot worse signs/symptoms than a simple sensation of water rattling around the ear.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[TropicalDiver]

OOps - you're right - Middle ear...corrected in post.