Think I suffered ear Barotrauma last Saturday when getting certified.

[Weekiman]

Great to hear. Just take it easy on them, again it may take a couple of weeks until they feel like they're back to normal, maybe even more than that. It is a good sign that you can equalize with a Valsalva - it probably means that you just got behind on your ear clearing on your certification dives.

I'm going to recommend that the mods merge your two threads together since they're addressing the same issue.

Best regards,
DDM

Great to hear. Just take it easy on them, again it may take a couple of weeks until they feel like they're back to normal, maybe even more than that. It is a good sign that you can equalize with a Valsalva - it probably means that you just got behind on your ear clearing on your certification dives.

I'm going to recommend that the mods merge your two threads together since they're addressing the same issue.

Best regards,
DDM

Thanks DDM, it has helped. I'm about 95% during the day. When I wake up I'm partially blocked and gently clearing relieves them. I usually take few hours making sure not to over do it.

 

[chillyinCanada]

There are some caveats to this. If he can't equalize at all, he shouldn't be trying to do a Valsalva. If he can clear and just has some gurgling, performing a gentle Valsalva can help clear the fluid from the ears. I told him this in his other thread.

Best regards,
DDM

OK, I was concerned that he was doing it forcefully, as new divers generally do .. which is what often causes their problems in the first place

 

[flymolo]

@Weekiman, I think barotrauma is unfortunately somewhat common for new divers. At least for me, when I started, I injured my ears once or twice by not equalizing soon enough. I remember feeling a sharp pain and tasting some blood in the back of my throat when it happened, followed by a few days of minor pain and my ears feeling full of water. Definitely not something that should be happening, but it can be prevented by equalizing early and often while descending. If you feel pain, you probably waited too long to equalize and should not try to force it at depth; ascend a little bit until the pressure stops and try again.

That being said, while I'm not a doctor, I'd probably give the ears a break and stop trying to equalize them if they're painful, and wait until things feel better to go diving again. An ENT can certainly give you better advice than I can, though.

 

[Weekiman]

OK, I was concerned that he was doing it forcefully, as new divers generally do .. which is what often causes their problems in the first place

Which I probably did originally.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Which I probably did originally.

As did I and more than once. Ended up at ENT. He was mean to me and made me cry.

I've been very careful ever since.

Equalize early, equalize often . . .

Oh, and again, we don't need to blow too hard. If you're having trouble equalizing, rise back up a foot or two and try again.

 

[Weekiman]

@Weekiman, I think barotrauma is unfortunately somewhat common for new divers. At least for me, when I started, I injured my ears once or twice by not equalizing soon enough. I remember feeling a sharp pain and tasting some blood in the back of my throat when it happened, followed by a few days of minor pain and my ears feeling full of water. Definitely not something that should be happening, but it can be prevented by equalizing early and often while descending. If you feel pain, you probably waited too long to equalize and should not try to force it at depth; ascend a little bit until the pressure stops and try again.

That being said, while I'm not a doctor, I'd probably give the ears a break and stop trying to equalize them if they're painful, and wait until things feel better to go diving again. An ENT can certainly give you better advice than I can, though.

Thanks, pretty much no pain since the dive. When diving I did have some sharp pain and ascended. Thought I cleared and the pain went away. I definitely need to practice my clearing when I know I'm good and healed. I'm still a little blocked in the morning, muffled hearing, voice sounds funny, but after gently clearing I'm mostly normal. Maybe a few times throughout the day. Been that way the last few days.

 

[Weekiman]

As did I and more than once. Ended up at ENT. He was mean to me and made me cry.

I've been very careful ever since.

Equalize early, equalize often . . .

Oh, and again, we don't need to blow too hard. If you're having trouble equalizing, rise back up a foot or two and try again.

Thank you