Question about ears / bloody nose

[technitai]

Hello. I am new to diving, having dived about 20 times now.

Often when I dive, I have more trouble equalizing than anyone else in the group.

And virtually every time I dive, I get a nosebleed (as well as mucus release) when surfacing.

On ascent, during the last 6m or so I usually hear a popping noise in my ears similar to a record scratching or rubber being stretched (difficult to describe). Other people don't know what I'm talking about.

So... my obvious question, is any of this normal? Various DMs have said that nosebleeds do happen from time to time, but no one seems to have them every time. And other people seem to have not nearly the issues with their ears that I have.

Should I be worried?

 

[lowviz]

...//... Often when I dive, I have more trouble equalizing than anyone else in the group. ...//...

Don't try so hard, try more often.

...//...And virtually every time I dive, I get a nosebleed (as well as mucus release) when surfacing. ...//...

I'm guessing that you get it on the way down and notice it on the way up.

...//...On ascent, during the last 6m or so I usually hear a popping noise in my ears similar to a record scratching or rubber being stretched (difficult to describe). ...//...

This is a good thing. However this can also be a sign of ascending too rapidly.

...//... Should I be worried?

No.

Just try pinching your nose and swallowing instead of blowing until you hemorrhage. Easy does it. Swallow often (continuously while descending). After a while you will know when to equalize.

 

[TSandM]

It is hard to know what to say in this case, except that you would be well-served to go get a good exam from an ENT doc, preferably one who is aware of the issues around diving.

You could be blowing so hard to equalize that you are rupturing capillaries in your nose. Or you could be getting sinus barotrauma from the same problem that's causing you difficulties with your ears (eg. allergies) and that could be causing bleeding.

It is not normal to have a nosebleed every time you dive. I'd get a good exam, and if no anatomic problems are found, I'd try descending more slowly, and equalizing more often and more gently.

 

[shmuggy]

have you tried taking a sudafed a few hours before the dive? This helped me when I started diving.

 

[t-mac]

Agree. Get an exam. This isn't normal in the sense that it happens to all/most/a lot of people. It is unusual and you probably want to rule out that you aren't damaging yourself. It may just be that you need to be more patient and alter your technique, but if I were you I would want to know for sure that there isn't some kind of structural or other medical issue here. Good luck.

 

[dfx]

Equalizing when descending is different from equalizing when ascending. When descending, you have to get air into your ears somehow. A lot of the common techniques achieve this by pushing/forcing air up the Eustachian tubes into the ear. Some techniques work better for some people, while others work better for others.

When ascending, you have to let air out of your ears. You can't force air down the tubes, out of the ears, so this has to happen naturally. Some people have naturally loose or wide tubes, and those people have no problem when ascending. Air just vents out of the ears and they might hear a short popping or crackling sound when that happens. Other people are not so lucky and have narrow or stiff tubes. Those people may have to ascend very slowly and they might hear a whistling or hissing sound while the air is coming out of the ears through the tubes. The best you can do is try to relax or open your tubes by performing certain jaw movements (can be hard to do with a regulator in your mouth) or bending the neck in certain ways.

 

[maniago]

My ears pop and crackle when I'm coming up too fast. It works as a good signal to me to stop, hover and watch my computer better. I also get it routinely in the last few feet before I break the surface. Its normal for me and I can pop and crack my e-tube just sitting on the couch if I want (see I just did it! Didn't you hear that racket?) Doc says I'm good to go. YMMV. I'll occasionally get a bleed also, but that's only if I get behind on my valsalva and really have to blow it out - and that's usually on the first dive of the day as I'm wowed once again at the undersea world and forget myself.

 

[aaronlove]

I suggest you'd better go to check your body. That is not normal situation. It is dangerous. If it is frequent that you need to adjust your body. Take care!

 

[technitai]

Thank you for your responses, they're really helpful. Instructors/DMs I've asked have been quite dismissive of my complaints but then they obviously just want me to keep diving with them. I'll see if I can have things checked out by an ENT specialist as I guess you can't be too careful.

 

[maniago]

Yes the only true safe thing is to see an ENT if you are worried. That said, also consider that equalizing is not something most people do day to day. So the experience for your body maybe something new. I'm a pilot and have been flying for nearly 40 yrs. I do remember that it was hard to equalize in the early days for me. It got easier with practice. My wife who does not fly has to take it slow when diving, and valsalva-ing for her is a very new skill. Occasionally she'll get a bleed as well, but in all cases, we're talking a minor wisp of blood - not a nose punch type bleed, or even close. That would definitely be an issue for the docs.