Ear infections

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mgmonk

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Scuba Instructor
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Location
Atlanta, GA
# of dives
This might be better placed in the instructor to instructor thread, but it applies to all divers too, so...

How long have you continued to dive when you know you have a mild ear infection? Outer ear, pain, saw a doctor, red, but not hideous. For me, having to dive everyday, I look at it like an athlete playing hurt. Sometimes, you just have to do it. For years I've managed to deal with them as they come and go. Only once previously did I stop diving for 5 days when it was an obviously bad infection, but recently I had something new come up.

I came out of the water 5 days ago and my left ear was completely blocked. It was like having cotton stuffed in my ear. I went to the clinic, and she pulled out what was apparently puss that had solidified and blocked my outer ear. I could dive fine. I fact, I felt better in that out, but I took her advice and went on meds and stayed dry for the past 6 days.

Anyway, the question is, how many of you "play hurt" and how many of you bail on the first sign of an infection. Asking around other instructors I work with and know on the island, I get everything from machismo to rush to the nearest hospital.

What do you do?
 
Disclaimer: Do not try this at home! This is my opinion and what I have done and NOT what I am suggesting anyone else do.

The only time I got an ear infection was diving in the rivers of Florida. I do not know when it started. We were there for three days. When I go back home it was hurting. It got to the point that I could barely hear and hurt real bad. Would I have dove with that, NO. I know my body and the pain of that particular case. No I would not have dove then.

Lesson from that, Every time I get done with a dive or swimming, I use swimmers ear(ear drops). I have now just made it part of my routine, kinda like taking your bc off your tank. It is just part of diving and swimming. Preventative maintenance.

There was another time, again in Florida at Devils Den, I had driven for 12 hours to get there. We were only there for 3 days. You have to make the most of the time you have. Had a bad cold, took Sudafed, dove away. Day two, got a bad blockage, busted some capallaries in my nose and finished a dive with blood and snot floating in my mask. I wanted to dive that night. Like I said, you have to make the most of what you have. Especially since I paid to be there and was limited on the time I was going to be there. My buddies convinced me to not go that night and rest. Probably a good idea, but you can bet the next day I was diving with alot more meds in me to try and prevent it from happening again.

I can not speak for everyone and you are taught in class not to dive taking medication. With that said, you know your body, and what you are feeling. I would think only you can decide when to and when not to dive. If I was just going local and diving, then I would probably sit out more often than not. If I was on vacation and paid to be there, theres not much that would stop me. It would have to be real bad to stop me.

This is just my opinion and YMMV.
 
Thanks for the response.

Like I said, maybe this is in the wrong forum. I'm looking more for answers from people that dive 24 to 28 days a month, two to three times a day.

On the one hand, I can't afford to seriously damage my ears, it's what I do for a living. On the other hand, It's not like I live in Europe and work for a company that pays sick time. If I'm out of the water, I'm out of cash.

It's a gray, fuzzy, thermocline looking line, and I was wondering if any other working divers had opinions.

Thanks again, though, DT. Good, sound advice, but I think we're coming from different angles.
 
I love to dive, but "playing hurt" is not the way to go. Not only do we not get paid enough to "play hurt", but how much is your hearing worth?
 
See, I agree with you, and I did bow out after I went to the doctor. It's just that sometimes it's hard to tell if that minor pain (in your knee, in your ear, wherever) is a precursor to something more serious or a mild warning to just take it easier.

You're dead right that we don't get paid enough to justify injuring ourselves. It's not like we still make 23 million for not even pitching or putting on a helmet.

Anyway, I took my own (and your advice) and I'm ready to get back in, I just wanted to hear HONEST opinions from anyone who might play it a little closer to the edge.
 
Ok. My story is kinda different, 'cause 1) I'm 13 and 2) I went diving with a simple running nose. I was just getting my JOWD certification and I was on my first CONFINED (!!) dive and at the depth of 2 m I felt terrible pain in my ears, i equalized and nothing happened it continued hurting. so i did all the stuff in the book, went up equalized - nothing. the dive center cent me to the hyperbarian there and she told me i was just sick and i caught an infection somewhere in egypt. i went diving with it - sinuses got blocked and i got an acute ear barotrauma.
my point?
never go diving with a cold and infection, kiddies
 
The 13yo called us kiddies, how cute :) (That's a joke BTW - welcome to SB)

Not sure why they would send you to the chamber after a 2m dive though?
 
If one were younger and hipper...
you might just say that we've been schooled
 
I have had 3 eardrum ruptures. The first was dur to falling off water skis and landing on my right ear - got maybe 6 ounces of lake water out of my ear - exquisite pain and total vertigo - if I hadn't been wearing a PFD, I'd probably have drowned - had no idea which way was up.

Second was while snorkeling in Puerto Rico - recognized it at once and stopped (failute to clear when bottom looked 10 feet away and was actually 25 feet away).

Third was after OW certification when I just didn't get the "ascend a few feet and then clear" rule. Doc insisted that I get a tympanogram and clearance from an ENT to dive again. ENT identified 3 weak spots on my tympanic membrane and scolded me, but ok'd me for diving since I could clear (in his office). Since then, I've taken to heart the instructions about clearing which are posted as a movie on this site.

ENT said "always position yourself to be the last one to depth" which I have done, but which is a bummer. I advise everybody to take care of those tympanic membranes - they don't "totally" heal.
 
Jee, Tortuga68, thanx))

No, seriously, ear infections AND ruptures hurt like hell. I couldn't sleep after I got them.
They sent me to Med Chamber that just happened to me IN the Hyberbaric Chamber.
What can I say?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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