So I did something that, looking back, may have been really silly. I'm a little embarrassed to admit my mistake, but I do want to tap the collective wisdom of the board, so here goes.
I was diving last week in Cozumel, and loving every minute of it. Went from about 18-19 dives to 30, so I'm still a novice.
I was having problems equalizing my sinuses. My left ear popped easy like it was made to, my right ear was a little stiffer but felt find, and the sinuses around my right eye felt like Freddy Kruger wanted to dig the whole eye out.
I ascended to a shallower depth, signaled the leader that my ears weren't clearing, (even though it was my sinuses because I don't really know how to be that specific in hand signals... Figured that was close enough.)
I kept at it, ascend, try, etc, wasn't working, and I found the more I tried, the more my left ear crinkled. Not wanting to injury my left ear, I stuck a finger in it to stop it moving so I could 'focus' the push on my other side. I think this is how I messed up. (It really seemed like a good idea at the time!)
I suspect I pushed the water in my left ear DEEP into my left ear. Felt (after the dive) like someone had jammed a AA battery into my ear, and it was sitting kind of between the ear and my jaw. First night I had significant pain in my ear, and an ache on that side of my jaw which is somewhat increased by biting or chewing. My wife is a doctor, (though not an ENT specialist) and with a flashlight (but not a scope) she took a look and said everything looks okay as far as the middle ear.
I described my symptoms to the other divers, and they said "Water in the ear, very common, use ear beer." I'm putting the recommended mixture of isopropyl alcohol and distilled white vinegar into my ear, and it seems to be helping.
So my questions are, is it likely that course of action caused this? Are there better sinus clearing techniques? I know many divers use decongestants, and I may well join them, as my sinuses are way more trouble than my ears.
Am I as silly as I feel for equalizing with a finger in one ear?
I was diving last week in Cozumel, and loving every minute of it. Went from about 18-19 dives to 30, so I'm still a novice.
I was having problems equalizing my sinuses. My left ear popped easy like it was made to, my right ear was a little stiffer but felt find, and the sinuses around my right eye felt like Freddy Kruger wanted to dig the whole eye out.
I ascended to a shallower depth, signaled the leader that my ears weren't clearing, (even though it was my sinuses because I don't really know how to be that specific in hand signals... Figured that was close enough.)
I kept at it, ascend, try, etc, wasn't working, and I found the more I tried, the more my left ear crinkled. Not wanting to injury my left ear, I stuck a finger in it to stop it moving so I could 'focus' the push on my other side. I think this is how I messed up. (It really seemed like a good idea at the time!)
I suspect I pushed the water in my left ear DEEP into my left ear. Felt (after the dive) like someone had jammed a AA battery into my ear, and it was sitting kind of between the ear and my jaw. First night I had significant pain in my ear, and an ache on that side of my jaw which is somewhat increased by biting or chewing. My wife is a doctor, (though not an ENT specialist) and with a flashlight (but not a scope) she took a look and said everything looks okay as far as the middle ear.
I described my symptoms to the other divers, and they said "Water in the ear, very common, use ear beer." I'm putting the recommended mixture of isopropyl alcohol and distilled white vinegar into my ear, and it seems to be helping.
So my questions are, is it likely that course of action caused this? Are there better sinus clearing techniques? I know many divers use decongestants, and I may well join them, as my sinuses are way more trouble than my ears.
Am I as silly as I feel for equalizing with a finger in one ear?