Ear trouble days later

[Ben_S]

Hi, I’m fairly new to diving and am having my first ear trouble. I’ve scanned these forums and am not finding the info I’m looking for, but apologies if I missed it and am reposting!

I was diving about 2 days ago in Koh Tao, and on my last of 4 dives my ears felt a bit funny on the way up (like they needed to pop). I was concerned about a reverse block but I equalized a few times and while the feeling didn’t go away it wasn’t painful and I was able to surface. Subsequently I learned equalizing on way up not smart. Dive was 18m and did safety stop (feeling occurred before and after stop)

Now 36hrs later the feeling is still there: like I need to pop ear but cannot, or maybe like it has water in it that cannot escape, either way it feels full and hearing is a little worse. I was also woken up due to pain last night but that subsided with ibuprofen.

I have tried multiple things:

Valsalva - feels like it goes halfway to popping but hits a block and I don’t want to force it. Afrin and Sudaphed, hot compresses, every manner suggestion about wiggling jaw, pulling on ear lobes, reverse valsalva, swallowing with head tilted, etc. Nothing seems to help, ear feels the same.

I have a couple of thoughts which I listed below but would really appreciate the collective expertise of this forum.

Did I damage inner ear equalizing on way up and the feeling is simply that damage.

Air never escaped on way up but I wasn’t deep enough to cause a serious reverse block.

There is simply very stuck water in ear.

Also, I’m still in Thailand, would you be concerned getting on an airplane to San Francisco in this condition? Should I see a doctor here?

Thanks in advance!
Ben

 

[Jonny Wishbone]

Have you tried to do a reverse equalize by creating some suction while you swallow? See an ENT Dr.

 

[Jack Hammer]

I typically have a sensation of light pressure in my ears for a few hours to a few days after diving. Sometimes it is water and I will feel kind of a pop then i can feel the water come out. I know quite a few people who've described similar things. Never felt in the water or when ascending. Not sure if this is what you are feeling.

Another consideration is if you were overly forceful while equalizing.

 

[Doctorfish]

If hearing is reduced and there is a sense of fluid in ear, there probably is. I'm not an ENT but to me, sounds like you have serous otitis media. I.E. fluid in your middle ear from irritation or barotrauma during your diving. Should resolve without treatment. If persistent, or becomes painful,I would see an ENT doc.

 

[Snoweman]

I'm going to bet you have an ear infection. If you want to test this, put some 70% rubbing alcohol in your ear. If you drop to the floor in sharp pain, then you most likely have an ear infection. If you don't feel any pain, then the alcohol will help clear the water out of the ear.

Of course, you could also go to a doctor/clinic and avoid the whole pain thing.

 

[aquacat8]

You definitely should not do a standard scuba “equalize” (blow) when ascending. Ears should naturally vent excess pressure when ascending. You don’t want to add MORE pressure. BUT if you are getting a reverse squeeze due to congestion you can try descend a little, plug nose and suck (not blow), then ascend very slowly.

 

[aquacat8]

OP you probably got a mild baurotrauma, (but I am NOT doctor so this is a guess) the full sensation could be fluid in your ears from the trauma, different than water in the ears. I did this once and it took a while to go away.
For water in the ears, I hope you know about “ear beer”... 1/2 isopropyl alcohol 1/2 white vinegar, use as ear drops after swimming. Just tip head, drip (not force) several drops in, tip head other way to drain. I make big batches and put in hairdressers bottles. I use every time ears get wet, even bath or shower. I think because of cold water diving and kayaking my ears can trap water. It gets the water out and prevents ear infection, and it’s cheap.

 

[Snoweman]

OP you probably got a mild baurotrauma, (but I am NOT doctor so this is a guess) the full sensation could be fluid in your ears from the trauma, different than water in the ears. I did this once and it took a while to go away.
For water in the ears, I hope you know about “ear beer”... 1/2 isopropyl alcohol 1/2 white vinegar, use as ear drops after swimming. Just tip head, drip (not force) several drops in, tip head other way to drain. I make big batches and put in hairdressers bottles. I use every time ears get wet, even bath or shower. I think because of cold water diving and kayaking my ears can trap water. It gets the water out and prevents ear infection, and it’s cheap.

I just use 70% isopropyl alcohol to clear my ears. My dive buddy had a weird feeling and pain during a dive. We cut the dive short and went back to the hotel. He kept complaining about his ear not being right. I suggested using rubbing alcohol. I put a few drops in his ear and he dropped to ground, writhing in pain, yelling, "GET IT OUT! GET IT OUT NOW!" It turned out that he had an ear infection. A house call by a local doc got him a large injection of antibiotics. She told him to go to the bottom of the hotel pool the next day. If he could do that, he was OK to dive. He was fine the next day, but he will never put any amount of rubbing alcohol in his ears again.

 

[aquacat8]

I just use 70% isopropyl alcohol to clear my ears. My dive buddy had a weird feeling and pain during a dive. We cut the dive short and went back to the hotel. He kept complaining about his ear not being right. I suggested using rubbing alcohol. I put a few drops in his ear and he dropped to ground, writhing in pain, yelling, "GET IT OUT! GET IT OUT NOW!" It turned out that he had an ear infection. A house call by a local doc got him a large injection of antibiotics. She told him to go to the bottom of the hotel pool the next day. If he could do that, he was OK to dive. He was fine the next day, but he will never put any amount of rubbing alcohol in his ears again.

If used a lot, it is better mixed 50 percent with white vinegar, the alcohol is too drying for your tissue by itself, the vinegar balances the ph, and it has antibacterial properties of its own. Not for use during ear infections, it is to prevent them.

 

[Doctorfish]

Nothing you put in the external ear is going to alter what is happening in the middle ear. Alcohol +/- Vinegar etc. will dry out the outer ear decreasing likelihood of developing an external ear infection after diving, but I doubt would do anything for the OP at this time.