Ear Equalization Problems

[Bubbletrubble]

I DO have pretty bad allergies so I will look into the sudafed before diving. This should help clear those passages. There are times when I'm even on a plane and can't equalize my ears, so this might be a problem I have before each dive.

Allergies are one thing. You can take an OTC antihistamine to prevent them from becoming an issue while diving or during air travel. I'm not so sure I would recommend taking a systemic decongestant, such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), to deal with recurring allergies, though. Sudafed does have some potentially serious side effects that you should be aware of before taking it on a dive trip.

It's possible that you could have a certain amount of Eustachian tube dyfunction. An ENT might be able to figure out the root cause of the problem.

Best of luck with everything...

 

[Amersboo]

So you're guess is that I overcompensated for the fact that I didn't equalize and then this caused the inner ear pain I'm having now? It still burns and hurts like crazy... ugh. I'm very concerned about going back and doing pool training #2 because I feel like something is wrong with my ears. I did go to a regular general practitioner and she said nothing was wrong with my ears. Um... it sure FEELS wrong.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

So you're guess is that I overcompensated for the fact that I didn't equalize and then this caused the inner ear pain I'm having now? It still burns and hurts like crazy... ugh. I'm very concerned about going back and doing pool training #2 because I feel like something is wrong with my ears. I did go to a regular general practitioner and she said nothing was wrong with my ears. Um... it sure FEELS wrong.

Ummm. Your general practitioner did the standard ear exam with otoscope. She should have been able to visualize your eardrum. Not sure whether she added insufflation (air puff applied with a little bulb to check movement of the eardrum) to the exam. Most likely, what she meant by saying "nothing was wrong with your ears" is that there were no perforations (tears) in your eardrums. I suspect she would have said something if there were an obvious effusion of some sort. That's good news. That still doesn't change the fact that you sustained middle ear barotrauma which is giving you the pain in both ears.

It's pretty easy to deduce that your doctor has not had any training/experience working with scuba divers.

Given your current condition, the best recommendation is not to dive until the ear heals, i.e., the pain disappears, ear feels normal, and you can equalize.
If it feels wrong, it is wrong.
Re-schedule the rest of your OW class for a date when your ears will have had time to heal. That's probably a week or two in the future...assuming that you didn't do any serious damage to middle/inner ear structures. Don't feel bad about re-scheduling. This happens all the time to basic OW students.

 

[TSandM]

Amersboo, if you are having persistent ear pain, go see an ENT doc. Ear pain can be referred from the throat or the temporomandibular joints, or even from the sinuses. And a GP may or may not be able to detect middle ear issues that would be picked up by an ENT with more tools.

BTW, when it comes to buoyancy . . . spent some of your non-diving time reading the journal of my open water class that is linked in my sig line. I was NOT a natural at this sport, but I've gone on to become both tech and cave certified. If I can do it, anybody can!

 

[Amersboo]

Okay, this makes muuuuch more sense now. She didn't give my ears a puff of air of any kind, just took a look and said, "Oh, FINE! Off ya go...go diving or whatever you want to do." She definitely didn't have experience with scuba divers. It makes sense she wouldn't know about any sort of barotrauma going on. But it's still sort of un-nerving with a scuba instructor telling me to do the one thing that will infect my ears. AHHH!!

I did put off session #2 for a week, per my instructors advice. I'll see if the pain has disappeared by Monday. It's a huge relief to hear it's not a big deal to put it off. If the pain isn't gone by Monday I won't think about doing it. Good thing you guys are here... huh? It's a lifesaver, so thanks for that.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I think one very important lesson to be learned from this scuba experience is: when it comes to your own safety and well-being, be assertive.
This can be applied to your interactions with instructors, DMs, more experienced divers, doctors, boat captains, etc.
Pain is your body's way of saying: "Stop doing that."

 

[daz88]

good call to postpone you next pool class, If you're having alergy issues, that will seriously effect your ability to to equalize. take your time and go slow..

 

[Amersboo]

So true! Couldn't have put it better myself. I do have one more lurking question in my brain... is this normal for a first-time diver or is it pretty rare to have problems at just 10 feet? Something makes me think I might have something really wrong with my ears. They seem toooo touchy.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I do have one more lurking question in my brain... is this normal for a first-time diver or is it pretty rare to have problems at just 10 feet? Something makes me think I might have something really wrong with my ears. They seem toooo touchy.

This kind of thing (middle ear barotrauma) occurs in basic OW students more often than people would think.
Ask the other students in your class if their ears feel squishy/congested or hurt after class dives. I'm willing to bet that some of them (if they're being completely honest) will admit to at least some middle ear barotrauma.

I get the impression that many scuba instructors only teach one method of ear equalization. Often times, that one method isn't taught very well.
I think more time should be spent on the development of "ear awareness" during class sessions. Unfortunately, there's a rush to get students certified as quickly as possible. It's a shame. What ends up happening is that students get hurt and they give up the sport.

 

[TMHeimer]

Amersboo: "Pretty bad allergies'? This could be your only problem. If you're congested in any way equalization can be difficult. Good idea to see your doc. Sudafed? I believe data suggests that if it wears off during a dive you may experience reverse block if you congest up again. Being unable to ascend is of course way worse than unable to descend. Is your Dr. versed in scuba physiology? Assuming you overcome the other problems you have with buoyancy, inflating, etc., you should not have trouble equalizing according to the many methods listed above. The only time I ever have any problems is when I am not quite over a cold and figure I'll try a dive. Perhaps if you have the extreme allergies I had up until 15 years ago, you may only be able to dive at the times of year when they do not exist. But I'm no doctor.