water in my ear or....?

[TSandM]

As BubbleTrubble articulately put it, this is almost certainly middle ear barotrauma. I wrote a little ESSAY about ear infections, to try to give people a little better sense of what's outer ear and what's middle ear, and what drops or rinses will help with and what they won't.

an inability to equalise causes blood and spinal fluid to be forced into the middle ear which leaves you feeling as if you have water stuck in your ear, and your hearing is a little muffled.

Just wanted to point out that it's NEVER spinal fluid, and rarely blood; it's usually just edema fluid from the tissues surrounding the air space in the middle ear. If the squeeze is severe, capillaries CAN rupture and you can get some blood in the fluid. You will never get spinal fluid in your ear, absent a basilar skull fracture.

 

[skiz22285]

Try using the day before you dive that can be a helpful way to clean anyting out you got in there. There not expensive and you can get them at any local drug store

 

[skiz22285]

Its a Neti Pot*

 

[jmasin]

Since you do have allergies, and the pool was heavily chlorinated, I'd subscribe to the conclusion of irritated sinuses/tubes leading to difficulty equalizing and then possibly barotrauma as mentioned above, so likely inner ear.

As an allergy sufferer, one thing I can advise, which will sound bogus... drink LOTS of water. It helps. I don't like the idea of taking any meds before diving, so don't, so have to manage any allergies otherwise. I also don't like the idea of not diving in spring/summer. Drinking lots of water helps things from getting clogged up, so even if I do have some issues, they don't end up causing any real problems. I can really tell a difference in my sinuses between days I'm good with water and days I'm not.

 

[Crowley]

Just wanted to point out that it's NEVER spinal fluid, and rarely blood; it's usually just edema fluid from the tissues surrounding the air space in the middle ear. If the squeeze is severe, capillaries CAN rupture and you can get some blood in the fluid. You will never get spinal fluid in your ear, absent a basilar skull fracture.

My bad I was distracted making that post!

Sorry - original post corrected.

Cheers

C.

 

[TMHeimer]

Maybe it's not related to your present problem, but have you tried "Doc's Pro Plugs" to prevent water in the ear? Lots of posts on this.

 

[outlawrench]

Last night after work I purchased a neti-pot and flushed my sinuses, I also took a sudafed and used my nasonex which is a steroid all to help reduse inflamation. Today is much better. Thanks for the help

 

[dogglebe]

I was certified this past weekend and came home, both days, with water in the ears. I tried hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, a hair dryer, etc., all to no avail. I called the DAN help line who told me that pouring all that the alcohol and peroxide are useless. The trapped water is behind the ear drum. I was told try a nasal decongestant. If that doesn't work, then see a doctor.


Phil

 

[dogglebe]

I saw an ENT doctor today who told me that my problem is not liquid in the ear. It's all pressure. I need to better improve my equalization skills. Fortunately, there's no damage, just a little discomfort, which is good news as I am going to Turks & Caicos on Saturday.

Phil