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Sorry for plaguing this forum with yet another problem about clearing ears, but I've been getting all kinds of different and unhelpful answers from other people I've asked. So anyways I just got back from a trip to Grand Cayman and had a great time, except for the first day. Our first two dives were absolutely terrible because on the first one I was having trouble clearing my ears and my buddy and the DM happily descended 90ft down a wall without looking back to check at me despite my constant rapping on my tank with my gauge clip (yes tisk tisk on them but that's not what I'm asking about). Anyways I was able to pressurize my one ear but not the other and as a result of not wanting to get left behind, I continued to descend despite the constant pain. After awhile the pain seemed to become more of a dull ache and soon went away once we begun to ascend.
On the surface my ears felt fine and we soon began out second dive after I scolded my buddy and made sure he would check on me like he should. The second dive was better, but again I had trouble with one of my ears. This time there was slight pain, but I was able to pressurize my ears.
The rest of the week was pain free, except I kept having moments underwater when my hearing would become muffled (only underwater, not on the surface) and then a few minutes I would feel a warmth around my outer ear and hearing would become clear again. I attributed that to water getting stuck in my ear and then being released (after it had been heated up by my body temp for awhile). At no time did blood come out of my ears and once I was on the surface I only experienced muffled hearing in the following days once I had woken up in the morning. I also experienced this crackling noise whenever I would ascend.
I thought this was all a case of just having clogged ears, but I was doing some research and wanted to get other's opinions to see if it might be a more serious problem. My hearing is fine now and I can perform valsalva manuiver without any odd consequences...
They will give advice even if you are not a member. However, I strongly recommend membership.
You probably need to get a doctor to refer you to an Ears, Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist, preferably one with diving experience. DAN can tell you the nearest one in your areas. PLEASE call them.
Welcome to ScubaBoard! I'm sorry it's under these circumstances. Good luck with your ears, and don't take this lightly, please.
BTW, never, never force the issue on ears. Just don't. The ocean will always be there.
"Equality of opportunity or equality of outcome?
One is consistent with a free people and the other requires a police state. Pick one." ~Cool Hardware52
I, alone, am responsible for my health and safety, my actions and inactions.
"If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size?" ~Sydney J. Harris
+1 for jax. I will also add. Equalizing is something that not only gets better and easier over time. It also gets harder over time ( of not diving ) now that I am only one of those fairweather traveling type divers I also have a difficult time after a long dry spell. I would suggest if possible to do a little check out dive once arriving at your destination. a simple little 20-30 footer. On Grand Cayman just head over to eden rock on your way to the hotel
Along with contacting DAN for a possible ENT referral, you may wish to view this very instructive video --> "The Diver's Ear - Under Pressure" Doc's Diving Medicine Home Page
Rick, if you have no persistent muffled hearing and no ear pain, and you can pressurize your ears easily now without hissing or bubbling, you probably did no significant damage. It is very unwise, however, to continue descending in the fact of being unable to equalize. Even if you can tolerate the discomfort, you can do damage to ear structures. The least important of these is the eardrum itself, because most perforations will heal. But if you damage the delicate membranes in the inner ear, you can end up with permanent hearing loss or worse, permanent vertigo.
One of the reasons buddy pairs should take care to stay together on descent is precisely this -- nobody knows when problems with equalization may occur. Luckily, where you were, it was possible to regroup; in Puget Sound, if one buddy goes to to the bottom, the two may never see each other again until they are back on the boat!
I can't really explain the sensations you are describing during your dive. We all get water in our ears, and it does warm up, but it generally doesn't cause muffled hearing. THAT sensation is almost always due to inadequate equalization, or fluid in the ear from prior traumatic dives (and in the latter case, it generally isn't intermittent).
One hint that may help you to equalize your ears quicker/better. I read this here on SB and went from being a person who always wondered if I was going to be able to equalize and descend on *this* dive to having it be a 99% sure thing:
That is to "pre-equalize" your ears on the surface (while they are in the air), just before you put them into the water. This seems to keep the water pressure from ever being able to "flatten" the eustachian tubes (which, if it happens, then makes it more difficult to equalize). It's the same idea as "early and often" but just taking the "early" a bit further.
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I'm sorry it's under these circumstances. Good luck with your ears, and don't take this lightly, please. 
