Using Afrin

[RGDiver]

Heading out in a few days for a week long dive trip and will be doing 4 dives per day for 5 days. Went to visit my ENT doc to have my ears looked over as I usually do prior to any multiple days of diving as I do have slight eustachian tube dysfunction. Doc has me on a Flonase regimen for a few weeks prior to my diving and is suggesting taking Afrin each morning before my first dive. My main issue is not with clearing necessarily, its that after a few days of diving my ears become waterlogged. I wear vented ear plugs which help but its still unpleasant after about 3 days. Doc claims Afrin will help but not to take it for more than 5 days which is all I am diving anyways. Has anyone used Afrin over the course of a weeks long dive schedule? Is rebounding an issue. I don't have a cold or much congestion currently so I don't think rebounding would be an issue. Just curious if anyone uses this stuff on day of diving and what your experiences have been with it.

 

[gwklein]

WhenI use Afrin (non-diving), I get a rebound effect on the 4th day. If I used it for diving, I would be afraid of getting a reverse block.

 

[ColoDale]

I have used it and I do rebound a little. I use less than the bottle says.

 

[smashweights]

Where is this waterlogging? Behind your eardrums or in your ear canal? Are your eardrums intact?

Rebound/rhinitis medicamentosa with Afrin has to do with the medication itself, not a cold/congestion you might have beforehand.

 

[RGDiver]

Where is this waterlogging? Behind your eardrums or in your ear canal? Are your eardrums intact?

Rebound/rhinitis medicamentosa with Afrin has to do with the medication itself, not a cold/congestion you might have beforehand.

Ok I thought rebound had to do with having a sinus issue beforehand. My eardrums are fine as far as I know, I believe the water is in my ear canal and it takes about a week after diving to clear up. I’ve used ear dryers etc and that help a bit but it’s still a problem.

 

[smashweights]

Nope, rebound congestion is due to the way Afrin works in your nose, hence the short term use only.

If you're getting water stuck in the ear canal nothing you do to your nose, like Afrin or Flonase, is going to change that and doesn't have anything to do with your eustachian tubes that vent the area behind your eardrums.

I dont have great recommendations for that but very careful Qtips or some swimmers ear drops might help

 

[rsingler]

IMO, your Flonase Rx is a good preventative.
I would NOT use Afrin prophylactically for the rebound reasons mentioned above.
The crackling that inevitably starts with me around day 3 of a trip, I ignore until I have any difficulty clearing. At that point, I'll consider Afrin. But I won't use it for more than 3 days.
And bite the bullet and skip a dive day if you're really clogged. A reverse block is potential disaster.

External ear fluid/waxy sludge is also common, and your swimmer's ear topical treatment (usually isopropyl alcohol and glycerine) is a good idea. If it worsens on a trip, try hydrogen peroxide in bed with that ear up. Let it bubble away and replenish when the bubbling slows. Then carefully flush with an ear syringe.

With these two, I got through my 12-day 40 dive bucket list trip to Raja, and didn't have to skip any dives.

Diving Doc

@doctormike ?

 

[RGDiver]

Ok so from what I am gathering here using Affrin as a preventative is probably not the best idea due to potential rebound after a few days. Rather maybe I should use it once I hit that point on day 3+ where I may start to have difficulty with clearing etc.

 

[grantmac]

I have had a significant block be cleared by using afrin with my head tilted back so it runs into the eustachian tubes. This was from allergies which I now use a preventative nasal steroid for.

 

[RGDiver]

I have had a significant block be cleared by using afrin with my head tilted back so it runs into the eustachian tubes. This was from allergies which I now use a preventative nasal steroid for.

How long did the block take to clear with the Affrin?