New OW Diver Ear Issues

[TSandM]

divergirl, this sounds very likely to be middle ear barotrauma. When you delay equalization, you allow a relative vacuum to develop in the middle ear. This quite literally sucks fluid out of the cells that line the air space, and can even rupture small blood vessels and cause bleeding into the space. This fluid takes several days to a week or more to resolve, and while it is present, it impedes the transmission of sound waves through the middle ear structures, causing muffled hearing and a sensation of fullness.

There's nothing which has been proven to speed resolution of the problem, although the use of antiinflammatory medications, decongestants, and even chewing gum have been recommended. Prevention is the key, which means equalizing BEFORE you have any discomfort.

I would highly suggest watching THIS (long) video, which is extremely educational regarding divers' ears and ear issues.

If muffled hearing persists more than a few days, you should make an appointment with an ENT doc for an evaluation.

 

[fjpatrum]

I just finished having that "blocked" sensation for over a week after my last dive. In my case it was due to a little congestion that was just developing before the dive (we went to 60 feet) and some minor blockage during the dive that took several attempts to clear. I didn't get a full reverse block but I couldn't hear for a week. Went to the doctor and was told it was just blockage and to take sudafed. That ended up clearing up my issue, but I wouldn't assume this is just an "earwax" issue. Earwax isn't inside the inner ear, as I understand it, only on the outside of the ear drum. "Blockage" is due to what is going on behind the ear drum in the inner ear.

It sounds to me like it's just taking a while to unplug completely, though I'd suggest a doctor's visit if it persists. When mine started popping and crackling, that was a good sign to me. It took 5 days before I got even that much relief...

 

[CT Sean]

I would highly suggest watching THIS (long) video, which is extremely educational regarding divers' ears and ear issues.

Bears repeating. I never had clearing issues but this video was still extremely useful in helping understand exactly what is happening when equalizing one's ears. It should be part of Open Water courses.

It also got me to switch from the semi-standard Valsalva (sp?) method to the Frenzel method which I vastly prefer. Also keep in mind you can practice whatever method you prefer as often as you like.

 

[SandPhantom]

I have had my fair share of ear issues. Aside from clearing the ear issues, I perform a post dive ritual that seems to help with infections and drying up fluid. Ear Beer! Look it u,p and I can attest to the effectiveness. Works better than any OTC you will find and it can be made with simple items from the store.

 

[diveprof]

My 2.4 cents: If the valsalva method isn't doing the trick for you, try other techniques. Ears are the bane of many new divers. I recommend the following:
While pinching your nose, place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, look up and swallow. Try this on the surface now (with closed mouth). Did your ears "pop"? If so this may be a kinder, gentler method for you. However, remember to do this early and often through the descent. Proper weighting plays a big role here too. IF you are overweighted, you will have a rapid descent when you dump air and may not be able to stay ahead of the equalizing curve.

 

[DukeAMO]

So, for myself, the ENT said my problem should clear up on its own within a couple of days, but it's good to get checked any time your ears are bothering you, especially if they hurt (take that very seriously) or if it lasts for several days. He said yes, I probably did the Valsalva maneuver a little *too* hard, and the clue to that is that my ears hurt more after doing it than before. I think it would help both of us to practice other techniques. ;-)

His advice for next time was to just slow down the descents/ascents, and equalize more often. Nothing we didn't already know. And sudafed or a nasal decongestant spray may help after the fact.

He also agrees that a few drops of rubbing alcohol in your ears, or a product called "swimmer's ear", can help if your problem is just that you have water caught in your outer ear. That rarely lasts more than a couple of hours, though.

 

[Crewfish13]

I'll just add top the chorus - I had what sounds like the exact same issue on my cert dives last fall. I'd gone to my internist (a freediver!) while doing the class work to ask about allgeries, and he put me on Flonase, which worked great until my bottle ran low the day before my OW dives. I had issues with equalizing my left ear throughout my 2 days of diving (not much pain, but I was always the last one down). Afterwards, I had the same full/stuffy feeling in the ear for a couple days, until one afternoon there was a big ol' "crackle", and the problem was resolved. Seems like I just have a very difficult left eustacian tube.

I'll make sure to had adequate decongesting meds on hand from here out. I'll probably double up Flonsae combined with an antihistamine/decongestant just out of paranoia (which my pediatrician wife assures me is completely safe)...

 

[USFpsychDiver]

It's taken me almost a year of similar experiences to figure out what works best for me. I've always had difficulty equalizing, and my right ear is more difficult than my left. I equalize by the pinched nose and blow method, and it takes some force, but I increase the force gently and slowly until I get the 'squeal/crackle' noise and equalization. I do the first one before submerging, then on every breath during the descent. I have to have my head up, which can make for some awkward 'rocking' descents. I've also had the 'plugged ear' feeling that persisted for several days, feels like water in the ear except it doesn't change with head position; I'm certain it's mild middle ear barotrauma with the middle ear filled with fluid (blood?). Clears for me within a few days and doesn't happen if I descend slowly equalizing every breath, and never letting the pressure get painful, ascending a bit if necessary. This seems to be an area of large individual differences, but one that almost everyone can learn over time.

 

[dfx]

I have had my fair share of ear issues. Aside from clearing the ear issues, I perform a post dive ritual that seems to help with infections and drying up fluid. Ear Beer! Look it u,p and I can attest to the effectiveness. Works better than any OTC you will find and it can be made with simple items from the store.

For me it's just 99% isopropanol (rubbing alcohol). The retail ear drops against swimmer's ear are nothing else, just more expensive. It acts as both disinfectant and drying agent (also after ear syringing against excessive ear wax).

 

[kdsmithjr]

Hi,
I'm new to both ScubaBoard and scuba diving and I just got my OW certification from PADI last weekend. On Saturday and Sunday I had two dives each day. I'd had trouble equalizing in my pool session, but my instructor said it was because I wasn't blowing hard enough against my pinched nostrils. During my first OW dive I had trouble again and my instructor wrote on his slate to blow harder. I did, I heard a squeak, and it worked. I didn't have any more problems equalizing after that. After the dives that day I had a little water in my ears and it cleared out almost all the way overnight. The next day it felt fine and I blew hard to equalize. It worked but after the dives I felt like I had quite a bit of water in my left ear. My instructor said it should clear up in a day or two.

I woke up this morning and I still felt it, except it didn't feel so much like water anymore. It just felt plugged. It didn't and hasn't hurt almost at all, except when I try normal techniques for getting water out the ear (like suction). My ear has been feeling plugged all day, at times feeling a bit of pressure. At some points when I swallow or yawn it seems to pop but after the swallow or yawn is finished it seems to pop right back in and feels the same as it did before. Right now it just feels like it's plugged and swallowing and yawning don't do anything. At times I hear/feel crackling when I swallow and yawn but it doesn't seem to unplug it. I just want my ears to pop! Advice please! (And thank you for taking the time to read this novella...)

It's not that you werent blowing hard enough at all; it's that you weren't blowing correctly. If you see any bubbles at all when you 'equalize', it means that your nasal passages are not closed off and they should be. What you are trying to do is force air at the ambient pressure up your eustachian tube. The squirt or squeak you heard and then felt immediate relief was air working its way up the tube into your middle ear. Here are a few principles that will help you understand and maybe be more successful:
1. The eustachian tube opening is in the back of your mouth near base of your tongue. Although it is a tube from your oral cavity to your middle ear, it is not a hard tube like a straw, so sometimes it is not open from one end to the other. You have to push air thru the opening in the back of your mouth and let the bubble work its way up the tube
2. The sound that air makes as it works its way up (or down) the tube has been described by many as a squirt or squeak. Listen for it. it means you are making progress....and the immediate relief will confirm that.
3. infection and/or allergies that swell your mucus membranes will interfere with the air exchange up and down the tube. Some recommend nasal decongestants/others say they are useless.
4. If you see bubbles at all during "equilization" you either have a hole in your head....or you have not completely pinched off your nose. If you do not pinch of you nose completely, air of ambient pressure will find its easiest release....your open nostril....and not be forced up your eustachian tube.
5. Begin equalizing as soon as you hit the water. It is a lot easier beginning at 5 feet, with less pressure differential to fight against, than at 20 feet. if you begin to force air up the tube, at least that air will be of slightly greater pressure than on the surface and it wil make it easier to force even higher ambient pressure air up the tube.
Hope this helps.