Left ear feels clogged/weird noise after dive, can't hear well.

[Chrisjonny]

Hello.

Yesterday when I was diving, at about 5 meters I failed to equalize the left ear and I felt this weird noise you feel when you are traveling with airplane or long driving hours.
I didn't think it was a big deal then. After I got out it felt uncomfortably loud and wouldn't go away. My ear had no pain at all it just did this weird noise all day and can't hear that well from that ear cuz of it.
Today it feels almost the same and it hasn't gone away. Still some annoying noise which I can do nothing about. I'm sure its not water or anything else and it has to do with the fact I failed to equalize the left ear. Today I kinda feel it like a soft touch inside the ear when yesterday I couldn't feel anything at all. Its not an uncomfortable pain at all its just there.

Can anyone tell me what this is and if it will go away with time until I can start diving again. It is really annoying and I can't hear well either from the left ear. Any tips on what I could also do but most important if it will go away on its own and I won't be in medicine cuz of it cuz then I won't be able to dive at all again for long time. Thanks.

 

[Chrisjonny]

Update: 3rd day now. Still no pain inside or outside of the ear but the annoying noise is still there blocking my hearing from the left ear a little. Its that noise you get when something really loud explode next to your ear, maybe a gunshot without ear protection or an explosion. Still hasn't gone away, if someone know what it is let me know.. I'll update this in case someone has the same problem sometime and know how my progress went.

 

[gypsyjim]

Are you a DAN member?
I would give them a call, and describe your symptoms. They are the experts on dive related injuries, both minor and not so minor.
I am sure they could give you some answers, and maybe a direction to turn.

 

[Chrisjonny]

Are you a DAN member?
I would give them a call, and describe your symptoms. They are the experts on dive related injuries, both minor and not so minor.
I am sure they could give you some answers, and maybe a direction to turn.

I'm not a DAN member or anything I just came to describe my symptoms here in case someone else have the same problem like I do. This forum helped me a lot by reading other people's cases so I thought I'll tell mine in case someone gets the same problem like me. If you could ask some expert about it and reply here I would appreciate it and someone with the same problem would read about it too in here. Thanks

 

[Joneill]

I'm not a DAN member or anything I just came to describe my symptoms here in case someone else have the same problem like I do. This forum helped me a lot by reading other people's cases so I thought I'll tell mine in case someone gets the same problem like me. If you could ask some expert about it and reply here I would appreciate it and someone with the same problem would read about it too in here. Thanks

It sounds like you have experienced some level of middle ear barotrauma from not equalizing properly. It may very well clear up on it's own with some time (no diving until it does). However, no one here can really diagnose your condition over the internet.

You really should go see a doctor for a proper examination to determine the extent of the injury and whether any treatment beyond just giving it time to heal is warranted.

Common Ear Injuries While Diving — DAN | Divers Alert Network — Medical Dive Article

 

[Chrisjonny]

It sounds like you have experienced some level of middle ear barotrauma from not equalizing properly. It may very well clear up on it's own with some time (no diving until it does). However, no one here can really diagnose your condition over the internet.

You really should go see a doctor for a proper examination to determine the extent of the injury and whether any treatment beyond just giving it time to heal is warranted.

Common Ear Injuries While Diving — DAN | Divers Alert Network — Medical Dive Article

Thanks for the tip. I knew it has to be some kind of barotrauma for sure. I can't go to a doctor because that means traveling for at least 3hours with car from my home as we don't have a hospital here, which means the ringing on the ear will increase and I don't wanna risk it having it louder than it is now. Thanks.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hello.

Yesterday when I was diving, at about 5 meters I failed to equalize the left ear and I felt this weird noise you feel when you are traveling with airplane or long driving hours.
I didn't think it was a big deal then. After I got out it felt uncomfortably loud and wouldn't go away. My ear had no pain at all it just did this weird noise all day and can't hear that well from that ear cuz of it.
Today it feels almost the same and it hasn't gone away. Still some annoying noise which I can do nothing about. I'm sure its not water or anything else and it has to do with the fact I failed to equalize the left ear. Today I kinda feel it like a soft touch inside the ear when yesterday I couldn't feel anything at all. Its not an uncomfortable pain at all its just there.

Can anyone tell me what this is and if it will go away with time until I can start diving again. It is really annoying and I can't hear well either from the left ear. Any tips on what I could also do but most important if it will go away on its own and I won't be in medicine cuz of it cuz then I won't be able to dive at all again for long time. Thanks.

Chrisjonny, it sounds like you may have experienced inner ear barotrauma. This is different and more serious than middle ear barotrauma. Unfortunately, it is possible that the hearing loss and tinnitus you are describing may not resolve completely. You should really be examined by a physician who specializes in ear injuries.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Chrisjonny]

Chrisjonny, it sounds like you may have experienced inner ear barotrauma. This is different and more serious than middle ear barotrauma. Unfortunately, it is possible that the hearing loss and tinnitus you are describing may not resolve completely. You should really be examined by a physician who specializes in ear injuries.

Best regards,
DDM

Thanks for the reply. I'm pretty sure its titinnus that I'm experiencing at this point. It's been almost two weeks. The ringing is still there, its a bit better I think. No pain or anything at all. When I'm experiencing loud noses I can feel it being more sensitive and the ringing increase a lot. I've heard from some other friends they've experienced it and it gone away after a month or so, so I'm just waiting at this point. I can't go see a doctor or something cuz of work and the travel time just doesn't work out and there is no doctor that is experienced on ear injuries there either. If that titinnus turn out to be permanent.. Will I be able to dive again and do spearfishing or am I done for. I tried to not travel and I don't go swimming at all, I'm drinking lot of water and chew gum with the hope it will help it get better. Thanks

 

[Steve_C]

Do not know what part of the world you are in, but you talk of going to a hospital. Are there any ENT doctors outside of a hospital closer than 3 hours? If not, in your case the three hours may be worth it.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Thanks for the reply. I'm pretty sure its titinnus that I'm experiencing at this point. It's been almost two weeks. The ringing is still there, its a bit better I think. No pain or anything at all. When I'm experiencing loud noses I can feel it being more sensitive and the ringing increase a lot. I've heard from some other friends they've experienced it and it gone away after a month or so, so I'm just waiting at this point. I can't go see a doctor or something cuz of work and the travel time just doesn't work out and there is no doctor that is experienced on ear injuries there either. If that titinnus turn out to be permanent.. Will I be able to dive again and do spearfishing or am I done for. I tried to not travel and I don't go swimming at all, I'm drinking lot of water and chew gum with the hope it will help it get better. Thanks

Chrisjonny, I agree with Steve_C in that a physician who examines you in person would be in a better position to answer your questions. Absent that, all anyone here can do is go by what you've written, and the worst-case scenario (and most likely based on what you've written IMO) is that you have inner ear barotrauma. If that's the case, your symptoms probably will not improve much, and you will risk further damaging the ear if you go under water again, either diving or snorkeling.

It's also possible that you have severe middle ear barotrauma, in which case the symptoms will probably resolve with time, and the gum-chewing and water-swallowing may be of benefit. I recommend you avoid the valsalva maneuver (pinch the nose and blow) and any other aggressive ear clearing.

Does your left ear feel like it's clearing or popping at all?

Best regards,
DDM