That's what a discussion board is for, and that's a valid point, so I've contacted the mask manufactuer to see if those hoses are one way as someone here suggested if they are, then that solves the problem partially but you are right I would be better off with those awesome navy diving suits from the 60's (pun intended!)
Doc's Proplugs do any of you divers use it?
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That's what a discussion board is for, and that's a valid point, so I've contacted the mask manufactuer to see if those hoses are one way as someone here suggested if they are, then that solves the problem partially but you are right I would be better off with those awesome navy diving suits from the 60's (pun intended!)
I don't know what your medical condition is - if your ENT says no water in the ear, uh, maybe SCUBA might not be the right sport for you. I used to use Doc's Proplugs, but I kept misplacing them them and after a while, I just forgot about them. They are great in a pool if you do kick turns - but there you can use any old ear plugs outta Walgreen's.
The only easy way to keep your headbone dry is maybe pop for a Kirby Morgan diving helmet. It's probably mega-overkill, but you would ALWAYS be the coolest diver on the boat when you all geared up.
Good luck with that. Sometimes when I dived in real surgy water with all sorts of bubbles and turbulence in the water column, I would get unreal vertigo. But I knew it was coming, and I kinda enjoyed that spinning helpless feeling. I couldn't hit anything or fall since I was nuetrally buoyant. Fun stuff, but probably terrifying if you didn't know what it was. Like carrier pilots with vertigo at night who just can't believe their instruments and the landing lights on the flight deck guiding them in on the glide slope. If they're too low, they go right into the stern of the birdfarm.
The only easy way to keep your headbone dry is maybe pop for a Kirby Morgan diving helmet. It's probably mega-overkill, but you would ALWAYS be the coolest diver on the boat when you all geared up.
Good luck with that. Sometimes when I dived in real surgy water with all sorts of bubbles and turbulence in the water column, I would get unreal vertigo. But I knew it was coming, and I kinda enjoyed that spinning helpless feeling. I couldn't hit anything or fall since I was nuetrally buoyant. Fun stuff, but probably terrifying if you didn't know what it was. Like carrier pilots with vertigo at night who just can't believe their instruments and the landing lights on the flight deck guiding them in on the glide slope. If they're too low, they go right into the stern of the birdfarm.
I'll second Tom Winters. Think Risk versus Reward.
I have witnessed another instructor's student blowing out an eardrum during training dives in her attempts to equalize. Sound like that would not be your problem, but my point is that diving is not without risks.
I also teach adaptaed (a.k.a. disabled) divers, and occasionally there is a point at which one must pause and re-evaluate the initial impulse to learn.
In no way do I mean to discourage you from learning. Best wishes, stay safe,
Bryan
I have witnessed another instructor's student blowing out an eardrum during training dives in her attempts to equalize. Sound like that would not be your problem, but my point is that diving is not without risks.
I also teach adaptaed (a.k.a. disabled) divers, and occasionally there is a point at which one must pause and re-evaluate the initial impulse to learn.
In no way do I mean to discourage you from learning. Best wishes, stay safe,
Bryan
AFAIK any sport have their risks, of course diving can take a life, lose the ability to hear, whatnot.
I don't think I'd go as far as technical diving, that's pretty deep and I think that 20-50ft is enough for me but some shipwrecks and plane crashes are deeper than that.
I'm only going to go as far as I can safely realistically go.
EDIT: Well I"ll take that back about the helmet,that's not going to happen; this is how I know that's more trouble than its worth and requires two people to put that together (of course with any diving there's going to be a buddy anyway)with of course a lot of dough ($5k just for the helmet and who knows how much more for the suit to go with it.
Excellent reply. I once had two OWD students, both heavy smokers (but with clearance from their doctors). They never got much below twenty feet on training dives, because ear equalization was a problem for them both. But they agreed to stay shallow in their future diving and to always take the time necessary to equalize on the way down.
-Bryan
I'm still waiting for a reply from the company that makes the earmasks to find out if the tubes are equipped one way so that mask clearing is possible otherwise that could present problems if they are not. I'm still searching on whether or not I would still need a note from my ENT allowing me to dive only with earmasks provided the earmask portion stays dry even with mask clearing. If there's any chance of eardrum rupture he'll let me know when I mention using earmasks and then I'll know I won't be able to dive at least in a traditional sense.
sharkbait2010
Registered
Docs Pro Plugs will not keep water out of your ears below 20'. I have used them as has my daughter. Besides that, they are easily dislodged and then your ear will definitely flood. Sorry, but if you must keep all water out of your ears, the Pro Plugs will not work.
RonFrank
Contributor
I am not sure what you are talking about here, but diving requires about 100 lbs worth of gear and is not something many combine with backpacking. For snorkeling and diving this may be your only option. It may be a bit bulky but not heavy.
From my perspective wear normal ear plugs for surface swimming and forget diving. Are you willing to risk what hearing you have? I am not a doctor but it sure sounds like your ears have enough issues. However the mask sounds like it may work. Not sure what happens if it leaks.
Plan on a note from your EMT. PADI requires one under less severe conditions than you face. PADI and other agencies require a medical clearance for all medical issues. You can lie on the forms but if you destroy your ears its your issue, and I am certain lying on their forms exempts them from liability.
I wouldn't be carrying all the diving gear, just the mask I would need and I was referring to the pro helmet which is bigger than any motorcycle helmet I know of!
Hypothetically if I could dive, I would bring my ear mask with me and rent the rest of the gear, I have not heard back from ear mask pro so if I don't hear back I'm going to resolve to not being able to dive.
As for what hearing I have left, I already can't hear without aids but I have GREAT hearing when aided sure it will be a lot more difficult without any hearing and I don't want to go diving everyday like some people do in paradise, sure I'd like to discover all the reefs and such and when done I move on and even then I might break up my dive sessions over several days/weeks/months, etc.
I appreciate everybody's input and insight into my questions, obviously it would be good if I could invest in the ear masks and try it out and see if it works then I'd move to getting an intro dive assuming I have medical clearance and try it out in the pool and see how it goes from there. I don't need to be certified to do one intro OW dive so long as I'm with a certified instructor or DM and that they are aware of my limitations and concerns.
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