Ears still blocked after 8 days-HELP Anyone?!?!?!?

[wanadive]

Hello - my ears are still stopped up - I feel like I am living in a tunnel. No pain...just hear my heart beat...every breathe I take...etc.
Washed out with alcohol and vinegar- 1/2 and 1/2 after pool and open water dives, tried peroxide and ear candleing yesterday to no avail....ANY suggestions guys????:

 

[3ddiver]

Did you have trouble clearing your ears on the dive? I had trouble one time and kept pushing it (I know better but did it anyway) It felt like one of my ears was plugged solid after that. I am sure it was not the right thing to do but I did not see a doctor and eventually, like a couple of months it went away. I am sure there was some damage done and probably should have gone to see a doctor. I have not had any trouble since. Good luck

 

[wanadive]

Welll-- there were a few times I felt pressure and would ascend a few feet and then descend; didn't feel any excruating pain however..so not sure. If you were I would go head to Dr. now or wait?
Thanks for the reply

 

[scubagrrl06]

I had the same problem after my check out dives. I had a lot of trouble equalizing and tried way too hard. After I came up from my first dive I had a nose bleed and I couldn't hear very well, felt like I was talking in a can, etc. It lasted about 2 months. I had "bruised" the inside of my ears from trying too hard and they were swollen. I did take Advil to reduce swelling and that did seem to help some, but it took several months for things to seem normal again.

Before my next dives I spent several months doing research on how to equalize correctly and now can do it right. I haven't had any problems since.

I would suggest seeing a doctor just to make sure there isn't anything more serious wrong, you don't want an infection starting etc. But more than likely he's going to tell you to just give it time.

 

[reefugee]

My wife had the same thing happen to her. She had been using the 1/2 alcohol 1/2 vinegar solution on a daily basis in order to try to "clear" her ears. After 1 week of not clearing, she went to her doctor. The doctor's recommendation was to just leave it alone and it would clear up. Sure enough - in about 2 weeks, it cleared on it's own. The doctor recommendation is that in the future, she uses "4-way" (it's some over the counter nasal spray) before diving. We just got back from our honeymoon where she did 5 consecutive days of diving with no issues. So don't get discourage. I still strongly recommend that you go to the doctor to confirm that it's not some other medical problem that should be addressed immediately.

Minh

 

[3ddiver]

"If you were I would go head to Dr. now or wait? "

I would suggest seeing a doctor. I probably would have but no $ and no insurance at the time it happened.

 

[ScubaThor]

I would recommend seeing a doctor asap!

 

[balance]

One thing i've noticed is that the whole 'equalize before it hurts' thing really counts, at least for me. I equalize a lot now.

 

[letterboy]

HMMM not able to hear . . . Could have damaged some part of my ear. . . . sounds like it';s doctor time to me

PSST I had the same problem when i started to mine went away after a day or 2 though. . . .

 

[eckybay]

Yup - go see the doc. Better to learn that it's nothing to worry about now than to find out it's something later on...