hood for ear problems

[reebok]

Hello,
For some reason my ears are very susceptible to getting water in them (even just swimming). this caused an issue on my last dive when I experienced a bad bout of dizziness and disorientation. I also had severe pain and had to cancel the dive. the next day I did another dive and lasted for most of it, but the pain became unbearable again. I also had a strange issue where I would try to equalize and bubbles would continuously come out of my ear. while obviously equalization wasn't a problem with that ear, I couldn't equalize my other ear. I tried plugging my nose and left ear in an effort to equalize the right one without success. I suppose the ear drum had a small perforation. it's been a few days and I am still having issues, though it doesn't seem to be infected or causing any real problem, other than I know it's there. it's not a standard weird water in the ear feeling one usually gets, it seems deeper.
at any rate, the point of this post is to ask if anyone has had a successful resolution of this sort of problem by using a hood. While it would still be wet, it wouldn't have the constant flow of water like you get without a hood. My regulator probably doesn't help either, as it is the oceanic omega II which has the side exhaust port, constantly causing turbulence on my ear. I am not adverse to getting the pro 2000 mask with the ear cups, but would like to go cheaper if others have had success with simply using a hood. Thanks.

 

[Dsix36]

I know that this is not what you want to hear, but I do not think a hood will offer any protection for this issue.

I have had a similar issue a couple of times and I wear a hood almost 100% of the time just to keep my ponytail manageable. One time it was bad enough and lasted so long that I finally broke down and went to an ENT to get checked out. He ran the complete hearing test on top of the exam and could find nothing wrong other than slight hearing loss caused from exposure to loud noises. The issue cleared up a few days after that.

 

[PfcAJ]

Sounds like you perforated your eardrum. I did that once on a free dive (reverse block on the way up). Gotta let that heal, and you should probably go to an ENT doc.

A hood will help with the turbulence, but it won't help with getting water in your ear, and it won't help with equalization.

Did I mention that you've GOTTA let your ear heal before you swim/scuba again. That's important.

 

[TMHeimer]

My general ear/hood practise: Don't go quickly sideways or spin upside down, etc. during the dive. Try to get fins on for shore dive with head either out of water or straight up.

 

[iamjblevine]

I've actually had my hood interfere with equalization. If I feel normal procedures aren't working I let some water In and things usually feel great.

 

[reebok]

thanks for the responses everyone. sounds like I will be springing for the pro2000 ear cup mask.
Dsix36: do you still dive? did you change anything or how did you solve your problem?

 

[Dsix36]

thanks for the responses everyone. sounds like I will be springing for the pro2000 ear cup mask.
Dsix36: do you still dive? did you change anything or how did you solve your problem?

I still dive. More often, deeper, and longer than before. I have changed nothing and things seem to have sorted out by themselves.

 

[vladimir]

thanks for the responses everyone. sounds like I will be springing for the pro2000 ear cup mask.
Dsix36: do you still dive? did you change anything or how did you solve your problem?

Whatever works, but before I resorted to new (and slightly bizarre) equipment, I would review my clearing technique. And I would certainly see an ENT before I dived (or swam) again.

The video on this page entitled, "The Diver's Ear—Under Pressure" is a good resource. If you're doing it correctly, there should be no pain involved in equalization—or diving in general. But, as you know, doing it correctly sometimes means aborting a dive when your anatomy doesn't cooperate.

 

[Searcaigh]

First thing, go see an ENT doctor.

Once you are clear for diving there are options, and when it comes to ears I have tried several things except the pro ear plugs.

In the last 18 months I have had three major dive trips cut short because of ear infections (Sipadan, Aqaba and Puerto Galera), I try not even to think about it financially.

I have also during my 28 year diving career perforated both ears several times at some time or another.

During my Puerto Galera trip last April, one of my buddies also had a severe ear infection so bad you could not even look into his ear. Subsequently he managed to have a ProEar2000 shipped down from Manila and managed to dive for 5 days on the second week he was there. Unfortunately I was only there for a week and only had three days diving.

I did not manage to dive again until June. By coincidence I found the ProEar2000 mask available on the DAN website when I was renewing my membership, I had no hesitation in buying it (Euro60 or thereabouts). I also decided that I needed to be a bit more proactive in prevention and have been employing post-dive treatment with alcohol/acetic acid mix (66/33) for a complete 5 minutes in each ear every day when I have finished my diving. Using both ProEar mask and the alcohol/acetic acid mix worked well over the summer for my weekend diving.

At the end of August I made 4 dives over two days, had a break then 5 dives over the next two days. I was fairly confident that I could manage my next trip to the Philippines at the end of October doing multiple dives over multiple days hopefully without any ear issues.

In September when visiting a dive shop in Edinburgh I found another tool to add, EAROL, pre-dive treatment with a mix of olive and tea tree oil. After all I have gone through, I am always willing to try anything, so I bought a bottle of it, long story short, my Philippine dive trip to Anilao and Puerto Galera went without a hitch so I am more than just belt and braces on this one.

I frequently use a hood, but that is primarily to keep my head warm, it will never keep water out, I have had to buy a larger one to accommodate the ear covers as my hooded vest hood is too tight

And again, go see an ENT doctor first

 

[reebok]

Thanks everyone. I may not have been clear, but I don't have an ear infection (yet) nor do I have any issues beyond I know there is still water in there. it seems to be working its way out. my main issue is not equalizing or infection per se, it's getting water trapped in my ear which then causes the other issues.