Ear advice

[Muzzman]

I've been doing the equalisation leading up to the dive, my ears are slightly tender so i'm going to reduce the amount of times to a few times a day. One thing i've noticed, when i move my jaw side to side i get a crackling noise in my ears, is that what everyone else get's? i thought it may be the tubes walls being stuck together. Anyway i'll carry on practising and if that doesn't work i'll use the ear plugs and a decongestant. I really should have had an ENT check me out in the UK.

I flew into Sri Lanka today and had no problems with my ears

 

[Leejnd]

Yes, I hear crackling in my ear when I do on-land equalization of any sort (moving my jaw, Valsalva, whatever). I do believe that is perfectly normal. (But I'm no ENT! )

 

[aelred]

Last time I went diving in a quarry it took 15 minutes for me to get down to 13 mtrs, following week I went in the pool and could not equalize my right ear at all, I really struggle with the right ear, even after 6 weeks of some nasal curtosone spray recommended by my doctor. Also I get a reverse squeeze ascending in the same ear.
I am disappointed as at the age of 59 and only about 20 odd dives i wonder if my diving days are numbered. Having said that diving in warmer waters equalizing seems a little easier, but unfortunatelly I live in the UK.

 

[lowviz]

...//...at the age of 59 and only about 20 odd dives i wonder if my diving days are numbered. ...//...

They are, but with any luck it will be in the thousands...

61 here, also a slow ear. Take your time descending, my experience is that routine diving makes things work much better. Keep at it, just go slowly.

 

[Crewfish13]

Yes, I hear crackling in my ear when I do on-land equalization of any sort (moving my jaw, Valsalva, whatever). I do believe that is perfectly normal. (But I'm no ENT! )

Yeah, I learned somewhere that the "crackle" is the eustachian tube pulling open and closing again. I get it all the time in my right ear. Wish it happened more easily in my left, but we can't all have awesome ears, I suppose.

 

[Lirpa246]

I wish somebody had warned me that a squeeze is PAINFUL. I wasn't sure if something was seriously wrong.

 

[Scuba Mom of Two]

The active ingredient in mucinex thins ALL bodily secretions; believe it or not, they even recommend it for those who struggle with infertility due to thick cervical mucous. I use it pretty regularly when diving and NEVER have issues with my ears. I would certainly give it a try before some of the other meds divers use (pseudofed) since it doesn't dry you out.

Here's my tried and true: claritin (for seasonal allergies), mucinex, tons and tons of water to drink, drops for swimmers ear (homemade with vinegar and water) after every dive. Oh, and I equalize with every breath at least for the first 15-20 feet or so. Works for me!!

 

[Trisha]

My husband won't dive without his Doc's Proplugs. He can usually get below the surface and back up again, but then he can't dive underwater again for the day, sometimes longer. And sometimes he can't even do that much without his ears hurting. He also wears a beanie or hood to keep the plugs in and to keep the cold water out.
Valsalva works by pinching your nose and blowing, but you can also pretend to chew gum and get the same jaw action.
And do use Swimmer's Ear or some other drying agent immediately after getting out of the water.

 

[Searcaigh]

I have had more than my fair share of ear problems in the past and the last two years with several ear infections as well as perforated eardrums over the many years I have been diving.

Do not pinch your nose and blow hard, that is how I managed to perforate the ear that would not equalize.

My technique is as follows;

Equalize on the boat prior to doing the backward roll or giant stride

Equalize again prior to dumping you air from the BCD

Equalize with every breath on descent

For equalizing I breath in and push my mask against my face and slightly exhale through my nose until both ears pop or click, then breath out quickly through my mouth and inhale again repeating the exhalation through nose and mouth.

I had to abort a dive last week after 17 minutes because I could not clear my right ear below 15M, the wreck I was diving on is at 20M! Anyway I had no issues with it on Friday and today, sometimes sh!t happens.

 

[aelred]

Thanks for the replies.
A couple of month ago I had to abort the dive as i was not able to equlize, went to the doctor and gave me some curtosone spray for the nose.
Did another dive about 4 weeks ago and it took me 15 minutes to get down to 13 mtrs.
Obviously i am no fun to dive for my buddy.
Went back to the doctor, this time he has refered me to a specialist and suggested a steroid spray.
This seems to have worked to some degree as a few weekends i managed to get to 18mtrs first dive and 16mtrs second dive equlizing very often with little discomfort. Having said that as I ascend I get a reverse squeeze, this sometimes is a little painful
The only thing I have since this monday after the dives is that feeling in my ear like when you shower or swim and you got water in the ear, hence the sounds i can hear are muffled in the problem ear. I have no pain or discomfort.

I practise regularly as watch tv or whatever and i can equalise out of water with no problem, but that feeling in the ear is still there.
Went to the doctor a few days later, lots of blood in the ear. Have to hung my diving boots till i see the specialist on 23/7
Strange that whislt descending on the dive there was no pain, maybe a little discomfort, but nothing to warn me enough to abort the dives.