Ear problems

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

buddha_of_bundy

Registered
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Location
bundy
Hi let me first say great site.

Well im just wondering if anyone has had this problem or knows someone that has -

It was my first dive, i think the depth was somewhere between 10-18m i cant remember. it was a fair while ago, sometime in teh start of the year. my group slowly made their way down a rope that was anchored on the bottom. the rest of the group made it to the bottm real fast except for me. i had real trouble equalising (but i must have done it somehow as i made it to the bottom). it took me ages and finaly i made it though. the rest of the dive was arlite i guess a little bit of pain in some areas maybe where drop offs were but nohtin really else. then it came to teh end of the dive. i tried going as slowly as i could and had problems with my ears. all i coudl hear on the way up was cracking and popping noises.

from then on i have had popping/crackling noises in my ears. eg whenever i swaled yawn eat ect. i dont think ive lots any and if not none of my hearing so i dont think it really damaged them?

i went to the doctors about 5-6 weeks after. he had a quick look and said it shoudl be good becuase my valsava or something was still moving or something? i cant rememer what he exactlyy said but he said that water or air or somehting was stuck in my tubes and itshould come out in about a month and i should come back for a hearing test after that. but that was 10 weeks ago.

has anyone had this problem or heard of it??? im going back to the doctors in a couple of weeks so hopefully it will be cleared but by then.

ps could it be sopmething to do with pressure pushing wax into my ear? the other week i got a shitload and i mean a shitload out of my ears and i thiunk this sorta make the popping sounds less frequent (or it was jus my imagination).
 
The crackling on ascent is normal in some cases as the pressure releases and you're able to hear it escape. If you notice any full or stuffiness, pain or discharge you should consult an ENT. Preferably one that is also a diver and understands the problems associated with diving.

You shouldn't feel any pain when equalizing, if you do you're doing something wrong. Don't worry about everyone else and make sure YOUR ears are fine on the way down. Ascend vertically (head up, feet down) instead of face down if possible and equalize before you even go under the water. If you start to feel pain, ascend a few feet and re-equalize. If you go to far you will lock up your eustachian tubes and could do severe damage.

If you have any doubts at all go see an ENT, it's not worth ruining your ears or diving career.
 
yeh ok thanks

has anyone ever had these same symtoms as me? or have a guess on whats happned to my ears theres no real pain its jus pissin me off.
 
ya_mums_bum69:
yeh ok thanks

has anyone ever had these same symtoms as me? or have a guess on whats happned to my ears theres no real pain its jus pissin me off.

Do a search in the medical forum. You will find posts using the search term crackling. The term usually refers to fluid pushed into the middle ear due to poor equalization. This accounts for your persistent topside problem.

I did it to myself after diving down following a CESA drill in the pool. It's hard to equalize and swim back down without your weights and all my attention went to swimming. :( The symptoms you describe are what I had and what has been described many times before. The sounds on asscent may not be related to your persistent topside problems.

It usually gets back to normal in several weeks.

Pete
 
im just letting everyone know ive been to the doctor

from what i can remember he told me that my diving injury has gone away but there is still fluid in my sinuses from an allergy

he prescribed some spray called rhinocort to get it away

he said if it inst gone in a month i have to go back for an allergy test or something

just letting everyone know if you had the same thing as me that you might have the same problem
 
buddha_of_bundy:
im just letting everyone know ive been to the doctor

from what i can remember he told me that my diving injury has gone away but there is still fluid in my sinuses from an allergy

he prescribed some spray called rhinocort to get it away

he said if it inst gone in a month i have to go back for an allergy test or something

just letting everyone know if you had the same thing as me that you might have the same problem

I do occasionally have the same problem, not as longlasting as you do but some. It appears once a while, usually after having longer time since the previous dive. Usually gets better when having several dives. Obviously clears up my (looking Kriterian..) eustachian tubes..
 
Hey there BoB,
I'm still a big newb, still a few lessons away from my OWC. I've noticed being in the pool that I've had similar problems on ascent. I too need more time than most on my descent, combining the valsalva technique while swallowing to equalize (that seems to work quite well, valsalva alone doesn't work all that great for me), and taking it real slow on descent. I seem to get water in my ears quite easily if I tilt my head or try flips or anything. On ascent I can feel the water coming out, and on the surface there's an odd sort of pulsation while the water comes out. My ears pop for at least a day afterwards, but there isn't a lot of pain, it's just annoying. I'm guessing that I'm not equalizing good enough. Ideas anyone?
 
hey ...i am new to diving and i have the same issues you are having with your ears...the last time i dived was 8 days ago and i have 6 dives logged...ever sence my last dive my ears have been popping and crackling when i swollow, or yawn...its really getting on my nerves....ive also developed a head ache a few days ago...it feels like a sinus head ache or somthing..it puts pressure on my forehead..and im getting really sick of it. did you ever get a headache?
 
I have one slow ear (slow to equalize), the right. Only Valsalva works for me--maybe the tube is small. Anyway, I tilt my head to the left and back when equalizing, which alters the topography in my head enough to make the right ear easier-clearing. My students often find this hint helpful, so give it a try.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom