Sore ears after multiple dives?

[wildernessdave]

I have noticed that after doing multiple dives a day for a week or more my ears get pretty sore. I don't know for sure, but my theory is that equalizing my ears throughout the dives and the small amount of pressure that builds up in between the equalizations is causing minor damage/swelling in my inner ears, which causes them to feel sore. After a day off from diving they feel a little better and after a week or two they feel totally back to normal. I am not feeling pain, hearing lose, or anything, just some soreness.

I do not have trouble equalizing and generally pinch my nose and blow gently to equalize. Any suggestions different equaliation techniques or other things I should try to help reduce soreness in my ears when I am doing multiple dives a day for many days in a row?

Is this something that you experience as well?

 

[chillyinCanada]

How many are "multiple"?

You might also try equalizing long before your dives. By this I mean, moving your jaw and swallowing, as you would on the airplane during takeoff and landing. This practice has helped me many times over the years. I equalize the night before, upon waking, a couple more times before the dives and yet again before descent.

I don't know what your ascents are like, especially from safety stop, but my recommendation is to do those as slowly as you possibly can.

 

[Searcaigh]

I generally have similar issues when doing three plus dives per day over three plus days diving.

I use "ear beer" regularly after a day's diving and also apply a drop of "Earol" which had tea tree oil in it. This helps me a lot.

In the past I have refrained from diving for 24 hrs to let my ears rest a bit, it's difficult to be sensible sometimes and when the FOMO happens I've paid for it by means of ear infections or worse a perforated eardrum.

 

[wildernessdave]

How many are "multiple"?

You might also try equalizing long before your dives. By this I mean, moving your jaw and swallowing, as you would on the airplane during takeoff and landing. This practice has helped me many times over the years. I equalize the night before, upon waking, a couple more times before the dives and yet again before descent.

I don't know what your ascents are like, especially from safety stop, but my recommendation is to do those as slowly as you possibly can.

Generally 2 to 4 dives in a day and 3-5 days in a row. I will try try the equalizing in the evening and the morning before diving and right before entering the water. I generally try to ascend really slowly, but I will keep that in mind. I don't generally feel any pressure building up in my ears as I ascend.

 

[wildernessdave]

I generally have similar issues when doing three plus dives per day over three plus days diving.

I use "ear beer" regularly after a day's diving and also apply a drop of "Earol" which had tea tree oil in it. This helps me a lot.

In the past I have refrained from diving for 24 hrs to let my ears rest a bit, it's difficult to be sensible sometimes and when the FOMO happens I've paid for it by means of ear infections or worse a perforated eardrum.

I generally use alcohol drops or an alcohol/vinigar mix in my ears every day after diving . Is this similar to the "ear beer"? I have not tried the Earol, I will give that a try. Do you use the Valsalv method for clearing your ears?

 

[Searcaigh]

I generally try to ascend really slowly, but I will keep that in mind. I don't generally feel any pressure building up in my ears as I ascend.

I assume you mean descend

Do you use the Valsalv method for clearing your ears?

Sometimes I use the Valsava method, but generally I inhale and sort of "click" my ears and my ears pop okay. I do this with every breath starting from the surface before my head goes underwater. If I can't equalise before the dive then I wait until I can.

I also do saline sinus rinses in the evenings and mornings when I'm diving to avoid any mucous buildup that could affect my Eustachian tubes, using Rhinomer one could say I'm quite paranoid about my ears and perhaps a bit OTT but the last thing I need is a dive trip ruined after spending a lot of money on flights and the diving itself.

 

[wildernessdave]

I will try some of the nasal spray and practice some other methods of equalizing. I appreciate you sharing what works for you. I agree that it makes sense to be a bit conservative because once you cause some baratrauma even a small amount it can keep you from diving for a while.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I assume you mean descend

Sometimes I use the Valsava method, but generally I inhale and sort of "click" my ears and my ears pop okay. I do this with every breath starting from the surface before my head goes underwater. If I can't equalise before the dive then I wait until I can.

I also do saline sinus rinses in the evenings and mornings when I'm diving to avoid any mucous buildup that could affect my Eustachian tubes, using Rhinomer one could say I'm quite paranoid about my ears and perhaps a bit OTT but the last thing I need is a dive trip ruined after spending a lot of money on flights and the diving itself.

I think that with regard to "ascending", where you questioned whether OP meant "descending", was a reply to me about ascending slowly from SS.

Yes, that's advice for offgassing but can also be helpful if there's some kind of sinus issue or so a Bangka dm told me.

 

[The Chairman]

Is this something that you experience as well?

Normally, not me. Sometimes, if I am stuffy, I might feel it for a bit. This is usually something I see in a diver who's over-doing their equalizing or waiting too late. You say you do it gently, but possibly you're not doing it early enough. Blow, then go. First on the surface, and then before the pressure builds again.

Good luck on this.

As a caveat, in the early oughts, I used to get a slight nosebleed on the first deep dive of the season. Then I started cave diving, which kept me wet year-round, and that stopped.

 

[dflaher]

generally use alcohol drops or an alcohol/vinigar mix in my ears every day after diving . Is this similar to the "ear beer"?

Yep, I mix a 50/50 solution of isopropyl alcohol and white vinegar and apply 5 drops for 5 minutes in each ear prior to bed during a trip. AFAIK however, this prevents ear infections, not the discomfort from pressure that I think you're describing.

As others have said, equalize early and often. The first 30' (≈ 1atm) is where the ears experience the greatest change in pressure. I start by doing the Valsalva a few days prior to a trip, and on the boat before splashing. Helps me to keep the eustachian tubes loose.