ear pain after diving hours ago, is this normal?

[ppatrick]

Hello eveyone,

It's about 4am in the morning. I got up just to use the restroom and realized that my left ear hurt a bit. It hurt even more when I tried to wiggle my jaw or applied some pressure. Yesterday night (around 8pm), I had a scuba class. It was the fifth time we had the pool session (once a week). This was the first time that my upper left sinus was hurt. I had to surface immediately while descending. Then I tried to decend again. This time eveything was ok. Then suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my left ear when I was at the bottom of the pool (15 feet), then I heard some beeping noise (like an alarm clock) for a minute. Then eveything went back to normal. I continued to dive for about 30 minutes... Maybe I shouldn't have dove yesterday because I had a minor cold. I took Benadryl and could pressurize my ears. I thought that would be fine.

Is it normal to have an ear pain after diving 8 hours ago? Was my eardrum ruptured (that sudden sharp pain)? I tested my left ear hearing ability by using the headset. It was functioning as well as my right ear. Should I be concern? I'm thinking about getting DAN insurance and have my left ear check tomorrow.

Any advice is very appreciated. I am very concerned. :-(


Please advice,
Patrick

 

[El Orans]

Have a look at our Diving Medicine forum.

DAN is never a bad idea.

 

[espenskogen]

Hello eveyone,

It's about 4am in the morning. I got up just to use the restroom and realized that my left ear hurt a bit. It hurt even more when I tried to wiggle my jaw or applied some pressure. Yesterday night (around 8pm), I had a scuba class. It was the fifth time we had the pool session (once a week). This was the first time that my upper left sinus was hurt. I had to surface immediately while descending. Then I tried to decend again. This time eveything was ok. Then suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my left ear when I was at the bottom of the pool (15 feet), then I heard some beeping noise (like an alarm clock) for a minute. Then eveything went back to normal. I continued to dive for about 30 minutes... Maybe I shouldn't have dove yesterday because I had a minor cold. I took Benadryl and could pressurize my ears. I thought that would be fine.

Is it normal to have an ear pain after diving 8 hours ago? Was my eardrum ruptured (that sudden sharp pain)? I tested my left ear hearing ability by using the headset. It was functioning as well as my right ear. Should I be concern? I'm thinking about getting DAN insurance and have my left ear check tomorrow.

Any advice is very appreciated. I am very concerned. :-(


Please advice,
Patrick

I expect you've probably just bruised your ear a bit. If your eardrum had ruptured, you would know it - It would be pain building up, followed by relief from pain - Possibly followed by vertigo and nausea..

If you can hear on both ears, your eardrums are fine. The beeping noise you heard could have been someone's dive computer.

It might be worth getting it checked out, but I wouldn't worry too much.

E

 

[utnapistim]

I had that a few times also, when forcing m ears during diving (it usually involved taking a nose of water from the mask then pushing it up by equalizing (not really a good experience ).

For me it usually passed in two or three days. I'd say if it lasts longer than that definitely see a doctor.

Actually seeing a doctor as it is now is not a bad idea either.

 

[drew52]

Not saying there is a problem but I'm no doctor.

Always best to have the problem checked out by a doctor.

If there is a problem it is best to catch it earlier rather than later.

If it has been burst you want to get on medication as soon as possible. The sooner you are on medication the sooner and better it heals.

 

[divindoc]

You may have external otitis (Swimmers Ear), an inflammation/infection of the external ear canal. Typical symptoms are pain on opening the jaw or gently tugging on the external ear. It's a result of losing the thin protective coating of wax in the canal due to repeated water exposure. The ear canal skin is very thin and is easily abraded by things like Q-Tips. You'll need antibiotic/hydrocortosone drops (Cortisporin Otic suspension or solution) 3-4 times daily for 5-7 days to treat it. Don't wait too long to take care of it or you'll be waking up at 0300 wishing you had. Easily prevented by religiously using 50/50 rubbing alcohol and white vinegar solution in the canals after water exposure, or use Swim Ear drops (comercially avaliable). You may well have a middle ear squeeze as well from being unable to equalize pressure differentials between the middle ear and ambient pressure as a result of your Eustachian tube not being able to function as a result of your cold. It's also possible you could have a perforated eardrum, though less likely if your hearing is normal. In the future, I would advise not diving with any upper respiratory infection as that's a setup for difficulty in equalizing any air containing space in the head (ears, sinuses). Benadryl is not recommended to be used predive as it is an antihistamine and may have enhanced effects of drowsiness under pressure. Afrin (oxymetazolone) nasal spray can be safely used for minor sinus congestion as long as you don't have a concurrent cold. Bottom line, I'd have your doctor examine your ear; be sure to give him/her the history of how the symptoms began. You need to rule out the possibility of a perforated eardrum; if you have an external otitis, the presence of a ruptured eardrum will affect the antibiotic choice. if you have just a ruptured drum, they usually heal within 2 weeks just by keeping the ear perfectly dry. I hope all this helps. I don't mean to diagnose long distance, but I've been diving since 1970, work full-time in Florida as an emergency physician, and have seen my share of ear complaints from divers and non-divers. Again, a quick 5 minute exam will settle the issue.

 

[ppatrick]

Thank you everyone for the very helpful answers. I really hope it's just a bruise. I'll try to get an appointment to see the doctor today and buy DAN insurance. Do I have to be certified to buy DAN insurance?


Thank you,
Patrick

 

[divindoc]

Not sure, but it's good coverage for diving-related accidents that your regular health insurance probably won't cover (hyperbaric tx, etc).

 

[boulderjohn]

Divindoc has good points. I used to have ear pain/discomsfort on dive trips and thought I was having some kind of inner ear problem, but I learned that I was having outer ear problems instead. I started using a combination of alcohol and white vinegar--as he recommends--after every dive, including training dives in the pool. Never had the problem again.

About a year ago, my buddy on a dive made a similar complain, and I handed him my bottle. He put a dose in each ear and then said, "It's a miracle product!" He was instantly cured.

You can buy a commercial preparation for swimmer's ear so that you have the nice little bottle with the pointed tip, and then refill it with your own mix when it get low. (The commercial versions are almost entirely alcohol--just add some vinegar when the level gets down a bit.)

 

[chrispete]

Do I have to be certified to buy DAN insurance?

Nope, you can be a student and get it.