Ear Problems During/After Diving
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Here's a piece of advice I was first given by my Course Director in my IDC some years ago after having a similar blockage that prevented me from completing a fun dive after our IE. Keep in mind that your Eustachian tube and the area inside your ear that you are trying to equalize the pressure in, is tissue. Just as we'd no sooner hop up from our computers right this moment and run a 100 meter sprint and expect our body to perform without some sort of negative and probably painful reaction, we shouldn't expect our ears to suddenly be subjected to this forced pressure and pressure changes without some sort of similar resistance.
He advised me that in his experience, if I were to get into the habit of clearing my ears every hour or so through out the day prior to my diving, my ear canal would be a lot more accustomed to perform the task I'm asking it. Very similar to stretching before a workout or run. Medically, I cannot say whether that advice is sound for that particular part of the body, but I can attest to the fact that it was the last time I've experienced any ear blockage of any type in 17 years.
It's also advice I've passed on to my students and instructor candidates over the years, and to my sometimes foggy knowledge, I cannot think of a student I've ever had who has been forced to abort a training dive due to equalization problems.
He advised me that in his experience, if I were to get into the habit of clearing my ears every hour or so through out the day prior to my diving, my ear canal would be a lot more accustomed to perform the task I'm asking it. Very similar to stretching before a workout or run. Medically, I cannot say whether that advice is sound for that particular part of the body, but I can attest to the fact that it was the last time I've experienced any ear blockage of any type in 17 years.
It's also advice I've passed on to my students and instructor candidates over the years, and to my sometimes foggy knowledge, I cannot think of a student I've ever had who has been forced to abort a training dive due to equalization problems.
Herk_Man
Contributor
I had the same reservations about them. The reports from those using them are that they allow a slower change in pressure allowing the diver to keep up with the change better. And I asked the same question about the holes getting plugged. The standard answer is to just give a quick blow on it before you put it in and you're good. I've never seen anyone complain that they had a bad experience using them.
Herk_Man
Contributor
The small holes in the plugs make the air pressure differential change at a slower rate allowing the user to equalize easier. If you do a search on these things you will get tons of hits on folks who had equailization problems and then didn't once they started using them. The proof's in the pudding. (I don't sell these things. I'm not in the diving industry. And I don't own ProPlugs because I don't have ear problems.)
silvernotch
Contributor
You've got a bunch of great responses but I'll post because I JUST had the same problem you're having.
I went to the doctor's on 3/26 because I had slight discomfort in my ears and that water/bubbling sound. I had redness around my ears drums which she prescibed an antibiotic drop for, and that I had water in my middle ear and she told me to take some Claritin/Aleve D, and some benedryl, and to not dive for 3 weeks. As of today it's about 90% better. most of the water feeling is gone and the discomfort was gone after a few days with the drops.
If you're like me and have a hard time equalizing just go as slow as possible until you're used to it. I descend 10x slower than my boyfriend but I have to and that's okay. It's better to go slow, and if you need to keep going up a couple feet at a time and try and clear them. DON'T FORCE IT. also, I constantly clear my ears trying to "stretch" them. when I wake up, in the shower, in the car on the way to the dive site, while I'm gearing up, on the surface, and after every breath I equalize. It's also a lot easier if you descend down a line. When you're new (like me) you don't realize how quickly you're descending until you feel that pain in your ears. So if possible descend down a line until you've had a lot of equalizing/descending practice.
I went to the doctor's on 3/26 because I had slight discomfort in my ears and that water/bubbling sound. I had redness around my ears drums which she prescibed an antibiotic drop for, and that I had water in my middle ear and she told me to take some Claritin/Aleve D, and some benedryl, and to not dive for 3 weeks. As of today it's about 90% better. most of the water feeling is gone and the discomfort was gone after a few days with the drops.
If you're like me and have a hard time equalizing just go as slow as possible until you're used to it. I descend 10x slower than my boyfriend but I have to and that's okay. It's better to go slow, and if you need to keep going up a couple feet at a time and try and clear them. DON'T FORCE IT. also, I constantly clear my ears trying to "stretch" them. when I wake up, in the shower, in the car on the way to the dive site, while I'm gearing up, on the surface, and after every breath I equalize. It's also a lot easier if you descend down a line. When you're new (like me) you don't realize how quickly you're descending until you feel that pain in your ears. So if possible descend down a line until you've had a lot of equalizing/descending practice.
Thanks again guys, I appreciate all the info. It seems to be getting better, though maybe I'm just getting used to it. Either way its definitely not getting worse, so I'm gonna wait a few more days and see what's up then.
I did find that descending on a line was really helpful since I could visually see any vertical movement and anticipate the pressure change, without having to watch my bouyancy as much. After this experience I am WAY more concious of equalization so I think next time I dive (which I really hope is soon) I will be better prepared. I'm gonna struggle with this for life, though, because I have horrible allergies and am almost always at least a little congested.
The guys at my dive shop (Sea Colony Aquasports in Severna Park, MD) are awesome and have tons of experience between them so I'm gonna talk to them about the ProPlugs before I make any decision on that.
Just a side note: If you're looking for a shop/instructors in the DC or Baltimore area check these guys out. Since certififying me they've been extremely helpful and are always willing to answer questions, or provide help when they can. I didn't go with them this past weekend, but a few guys including Rich, who certified me, were there and they offered to help with anything they could. These guys really go the extra mile, at least in my experience they do. (And I'm a guy, not some smoking hot blonde, if that's what you're thinking.)
I did find that descending on a line was really helpful since I could visually see any vertical movement and anticipate the pressure change, without having to watch my bouyancy as much. After this experience I am WAY more concious of equalization so I think next time I dive (which I really hope is soon) I will be better prepared. I'm gonna struggle with this for life, though, because I have horrible allergies and am almost always at least a little congested.
The guys at my dive shop (Sea Colony Aquasports in Severna Park, MD) are awesome and have tons of experience between them so I'm gonna talk to them about the ProPlugs before I make any decision on that.
Just a side note: If you're looking for a shop/instructors in the DC or Baltimore area check these guys out. Since certififying me they've been extremely helpful and are always willing to answer questions, or provide help when they can. I didn't go with them this past weekend, but a few guys including Rich, who certified me, were there and they offered to help with anything they could. These guys really go the extra mile, at least in my experience they do. (And I'm a guy, not some smoking hot blonde, if that's what you're thinking.)
NoseDive, I don't know what you do to control your allergies, but nasal steroids and a long-acting antihistamine may help a great deal. The long-acting antihistamines are advertised as non-drowsy, and for most people they are, but of course, you should always try any medication on land before diving on it. Nasal steroids are prescription, but many people get a great deal of relief from their use.
I agree with all those who assume a middle ear barotrauma.
I had a lot of same problems myself for many years until someone recommended the Pro Ear Mask form Oceanic to me. Their ear caps keep your ears dry, so there is only air and no water in your ears. That makes equalization much easier. I am using that mask for three years now and I am very satisfied. I can’t say I don’t have any problem since I use that mask, but problems are very rare since than.
Oceanic PRO EAR | www.oceanic.de | www.oceanic.de
I had a lot of same problems myself for many years until someone recommended the Pro Ear Mask form Oceanic to me. Their ear caps keep your ears dry, so there is only air and no water in your ears. That makes equalization much easier. I am using that mask for three years now and I am very satisfied. I can’t say I don’t have any problem since I use that mask, but problems are very rare since than.
Oceanic PRO EAR | www.oceanic.de | www.oceanic.de
Bubbletrubble
Contributor
@Herk_Man: Wouldn't descending slowly (under control) accomplish the same thing? Overweighting can contribute to out-of-control descents, and we can all see how descending faster than one can equalize can be dangerous/painful.
I've thought about the design of the ProPlugs. If the plugs work the way the manufacturer says they do, essentially they create another air space between the water and the eardrum. Ear pain experienced during diving occurs when the eardrum is pulled inward over the ear bones due to increased ambient pressure (relative to pressure on the other side of the eardrum - in the middle ear). This is mitigated by allowing air to equalize on the other side of the eardrum - air flows from the respiratory tract through the Eustachian tube to reach this air space. The only way that the extra space on the outside of the eardrum can help is, during descent, if the extra space experiences a "squeeze" of its own and helps pull the eardrum off of the ear bones. This would be akin to a suction effect on the eardrum pulling outward. I could see how this might buy some time while the Eustachian tubes on the other side of the eardrum do their job.
I've probably read a lot of the same "reviews" that you have. I don't know anyone personally who has used this product. I'm very skeptical of the manufacturer's claims since they make no sense based on what we know about ear anatomy and physiology. It would be very easy to conduct straightforward "scientific" testing to backup the claims. Curiously, those haven't been done.
Basically I suck it up and deal with it... I'm not into taking medications for anything that isn't absolutely necessary. That said I will definitely be experimenting over the next few weeks to find a good battery of stuff to take in the week or so before diving and during the dive. Thanks again guys.
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