Diving with ear problems

[andrewthomas]

HEy Guys
Diving has long been a dream of mine but i have very bad and weak eardrums i have problems regulating my ears daily on land i can only imaging what would be like under water.
i would liek to know if there is any type of mask that keeps water out of my ears. or atleast allows water in my ears but does not require me to regulate under water, something that helps keep pressure to a minimum

please help me out if anyone knows of anything

 

[00wabbit]

You should contact Divers Alert Network and ask your questions.

I am afraid though that diving may not be for you. Regulating your ears is about equalizing the airspace inside your head with the outside pressure. If you can not do this then you can't dive. It's not just about water on your eardrums.

divers alert network (aka DAN) can help you evaluate your situation and find a doctor that can evaluate you for diving.

 

[sueber]

I sympathize, and would encourage you to give it a try, and just go slowly. A good dive instructor would be able to help you try it in the pool and see how you like it. I have always had problems with my ears, and now have some issues with equalizing my ears. I descend very slowly, equalizing until I feel pressure, then stop, go up a bit, wait till I equalize, and the discomfort passes, then descend slowly once again. Sometimes it takes me 10 minutes to get down to 40 feet, but it doesn't stop me from diving! It's worth it!

 

[bennenrkc]

My brother and I have had 11 sets of tubes between us, I have hade three perforations and for most of my life daily ear pain and drainage. I was in the same situation as you. I went to the dr. He said I didn't currently have a perforation and that I was fine to dive. I was really hesitant but was able to dive. I tried the ist pro ear 2000 I think is what it is called and it seems a little like a joke, though I have talked to others that use it.

I have actually found that if I can dive on a regular basis and if I clear my ears carefully I actually have less problems above the water for about a week or two after I dive. This is really strange for me as I historically got an ear infection after swimming. I have been out of the water almost a month and am starting to have problems again. I have a dive planned for next week and am curious to see if that will help again.

If your dr. clears you to dive I say try it and be careful equalizing and see what you find. I have never found another activity that has made me wonder about quitting what I am doing and changing my career goals, but scuba has.

I hope you are able to dive. If you want to try the pro ear mask send me a pm I have one I would be willing to part with.


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[Crowley]

First, get a check-up from an ENT with hyperbaric medical training - as posted above, the Divers Alert Network (whether you are insured by them or not) will assist in locating such a physician.

Ear problems are something that myself and many of my colleagues live in fear of. Not Decompression sickness, not shark attack, not boat propellers, but simple ear infection and injury.

I cannot speak to the specifics of your problem directly, although if you are having problems at the surface, then these will most assuredly be worsened under pressure, even in shallow water, as the greatest pressure differential is in the first 10 metres of water.

You may find that something like the proEar mask will benefit you (assuming you are cleared to dive). They are masks with "ear muffs" that seal over your ears and can assist with equalization as well as preventing direct contact between the water and your eardrum. You can find their website here: Swimming Ear Protection Diving Masks ProEar 2000

Hope that helps and good luck,

Crowley

 

[Diveflag UK]

Ear problems are something that myself and many of my colleagues live in fear of. Not Decompression sickness, not shark attack, not boat propellers, but simple ear infection and injury.

Too true... Please get it checked out, you really will not enjoy having a ruptured eardrum..

 

[TSandM]

Can you go up and down a mountain, or ride in an airplane successfully? If so, there is hope . . . If not, perhaps this is not your sport. Ears are one thing you cannot get around; you HAVE to be able to equalize the air spaces to dive in a comfortable and safe fashion.

I second the advice to give it a cautious try -- maybe a "Discover Scuba" attempt, making sure the leader is aware of your issues. In fact, perhaps if a local dive op is doing something in a pool anyway, they might allow you to try at a reduced or at no charge. If, after good teaching by the leader, you are unable to clear in shallow water in the pool, then an appointment with an ENT doc would be in order, if you still wanted to pursue this. They might learn something that would help you resolve the problem.

 

[gert7to3]

IST makes the Pro Ear 2000 mask. This product has ear cups which will permit one to dive with dry ears. I have used this mask for over 125 dives and am quite satisfied with it.