Weekend dive

Well it is time to decide am I ready or better yet are my ears ready. It has been almost two weeks since I came home from my OW cert with an inner and outer ear infection. I have completed my antibiotics, I do not have any further ear pain. By mid day I do not feel that my ears are congested, however they are still slightly congested in the morning when I first awaken. I am still using the Flonase nasal spray and I have been taking Zyrtec once a day for four days. I am have an opportunity to go to the lake here at home Sunday for a dive, not sure if I should. I plan to go to the dive shop and get in the pool some tommorrow to help a friend of mine that is going to complete her cert on Sunday. Just a refresher for her and a chance for me to work on weights with my 3mm wetsuit. Any thoughts out there??

practice the valsava sp? several times a day

Zirtec is fine (I use it also - no drowsiness). I don't know anything about Flonase nasal spray. With regards to your fitness to dive, all I can suggest is try it and see if thats possible. Make a feet first descent and take it slowly. Equalise often (I always start prior to descending) and if you start to feel discomfort and can't equalise, abandon the dive and wait another week. I guess (like me) you suffer from some form of hayfever allergy?? I have had similar probs and have followed the above advice.

Good luck and keep us updated

It is unusual to hear of inner AND outer ear problems. There are commercial preparations to use in the outer ear. These are formulated to treat "swimmers ear", a bacterial infection. Everyone has ear "wax" but with some people the wax seems to wash out of the ear canal leaving it vulnerable to infection. Also, some people have very small ear canals leading to water trapment. Again, this is entirely separate from inner ear infections of the hayfever kind. With respect to the inner ear, I suspect that any chronic swelling of the eustachion tube could cause fluid backup and subsequent infection.

It is problematical for a diver to become dependent on anti congestants. Don't do it. However, allergy meds are a different matter and I might suggest you visit a doctor who has a background in diving medicine.