How often you call a dive for ear problems?

[DryGear]

once in a while I find the first dive of the day it takes forever to get down as I seem to be stopping every 3-4 feet waiting/working for my ears to clear, second dive (and subsequent dives) are usually no problem and they clear instantly.

One dive in my AOW in particalur I remember spending 2-3 minutes at 15-20 feet and was about to call the dive when my ears finally cleared, had it not been a course with other students I likely would have called it after not being able to clear after 1-2 minutes.

 

[Doc]

I think what Raider is describing is called Reverse Block, among other isuues. Rick Inmann mentioned that briefly above.

Call a dive? Sure- I once blew-off an entire day in the Galapagos because of it

 

[siikik]

...remember, equalize early & equalize often--I start @ about the 3 or 4 foot mark(depth)....

And don't force equalization if you use the Valsalva maneuver. That can also rupture an eardrum.




Ken

 

[raider11]

We always start equalizing before descent, take good care of ears after each dive, etc. This time I think the problem was what Don Francisco said

The problem is that even very mild, unnoticed barotrauma predisposes your ears to greater barotrauma later on. You don't feel any pain, but slight swelling in the tissues surrounding the ear make clearing more difficult. This starts a vicious cycle of rough clearing and more trauma.

Maybe the bouncing on the first dive on saturday did hurt my ears a little, and the 4 dives of the day were to much, so on sunday the trauma was greater, not enough to hurt on surface but enough to made equilizing hard in the water what ended with some pain 25 feet under. I´m having my ENT check my ears this week just in case.

The only thing I regreat is missing my 2nd PPB dive, the first one was great, excellent tips from my instructor, I loose 11 lbs from my BC and according to her I still should be able to loose another 4 based on my bouyancy test once I control my fins and stop moving them as I descend, so I´ll end up with only 18/20lbs on my bc with my 7mm wetsuit (I weight 300lb). She also taught us frog kick, modified frog kick, modified flutter kick, nice things to know to dive the quarry without silting the place.

 

[raider11]

I think what Raider is describing is called Reverse Block, among other isuues. Rick Inmann mentioned that briefly above.

Call a dive? Sure- I once blew-off an entire day in the Galapagos because of it

It might be both a block and a reverse block. I didn´t have to much problem going down, my wife was having a little trouble to equalice so we went up 2 or 3 feet a couple of times during descent. Once we were almost at the bottom I had troubles to equalice, we went up a little and nothing, up a little more and nothing, so I called the dive because my ears were starting to hurt. At 2 or 3 feet from surface I could finally equalice, but my ears were hurting by then, so I call the day off. After 10 minutes the pain was gone but I felt my ears puffy, not like full of liquid, just puffy and a little deaf, 2 hours later I was OK but I didn´t want to try again just in case, no need of permanent damage for 1 more dive.

 

[robint]

A reverse block is a whole different animal and something I NEVER hope to get again! I was diving in winter here, 3rd day of diving, sinuses all dried out due to heaters in cars/hotel room when not diving, and as soon as I got out into the cold air my nose started to drip....... I took a couple of Sudafed to make it through the last 2 dives before driving back home to CO. Big mistake!!! I thought I was fine, did the first dive okay, but after a longer than expect Surface interval, I got in the water again. The second dive I had trouble getting down (Sudafed was wearing off most likely). I finally got down and did about 30 minute dive and started my ascent and BAMMMM! My head felt like it was going to explode. I had no idea what was happening to me. I went up slowly to the safety stop level and through the whole safety stop kept saying to myself "why do I have such a bad headache?" The front of my face and head were pounding and I was in serious pain by the time I got out of the water. I took some Motrin in the car and we took off for our drive through the mts home. Ugghhhh..... I felt like I had a knife in my forehead all the way home. The headache lasted for 2 weeks with no relief. We called DAN after the first couple of days and they told me it was a REVERSE BLOCK - I had fluid filling my sinuses on the dive along with air that was trapped in there which expanded during my ascent. I had bruised the inside of my sinus passages! :shocked2: Lesson learned: Never ever take Sudafed or other cold medicines if you have a cold or sinus problems in order to equalize! I used to do it all the time but now I am very cautious. I do occasionally take Sudafed and dive if I have a slightly drippy nose and I am able to clear at surface. But if I get in water and still can't equalize, I don't do the dive. Better to sit out a dive than to go through that again.

robin

 

[divestoclimb]

It seems like some people have more trouble than others due to physiology? I usually have lots of problems with doing lots of depth-changing but others have no problem at all. The last few months have been better though for some reason.

The worst is sinus squeezes. I once lost two days of diving while in Florida because of that.

 

[themagni]

I do all local shore dives, so if I can't equalize at home, I just don't pack my gear into the van. It saves a lot of time. I've canceled one dive for nose problems. (And so far, at least four because of heart issues.)

I've got good physiology for diving, though - I can just just out my jaw and waggle my tongue to equalize. I do this the whole time I'm descending.

 

[scubadobadoo]

Dive long enough and go on enough vacations and your list of reasons for canceling or aborting a dive will grow ever so slowly. I have had dives canceled or aborted due to hurricanes, high seas, missing luggage, canceled flights, ice storms, boats breaking down, gear breaking, buddies sleeping in (lol), and many other reasons. Ear issues crop up from time but not often. I missed a half weeks diving in Bonaire last year due to some sinus/ear issues. It stinks but it can happen.

 

[NudeDiver]

so, my question is. How often or How many time you have called a dive because of ear problems?

80+ dives - never called a dive due to ear problems. However, I equalize constantly. Sometimes I equalize just sitting in my living room watching TV

I've been on dives where people had problems equalizing. Just a few. But they eventually solved the problem.