Inner Ear Barotrauma

[BlakeB]

Hello,

I am new to this board. I signed up because I am desperately looking for advice, referrals, recovery information regarding inner ear barotrauma.

Sept 15th I was spearfishing (freediving) in the Bahamas. We were about 60ft/ 20m. I was having some trouble clearing due to a sinus infection 3-4 weeks back that had resolved with antibiotics. I was using the Valsalva maneuver to clear, I was using slightly more force than typical. On one of the dives I felt a "crinkle" in my left ear increase pressure and slight to moderate pain. unable to clear I went back up to the surface cleared and continued to dive. When I got back on the boat, I noticed a muffled heavy feeling in my left ear, and I noticed it was ringing.

Monday the 17th sept I got into an ENT in Florida. Audiology test reflected pretty substantial (50%) hearing loss in my left ear and significant decline above 600hz. High frequencies are hard to hear. I was prescribed high dose, 3 week course of steroid treatment 60mg prednisone to start, titrating down from there. I also opted for the cortico-steroid injection through the tympanic membrane. Ive done 3/4 of those with slight to NO improvement. I currently have no vestibular symptoms but I did get dizzy when trying to clear out of the water and for a few days after the injury. I hear a crinkle every time I swallow, and the Tinnitus is making me wish I would lose the hearing all together in my left ear....if it means the louding buzzing/ringing goes away.

Ive spoken to 3 ENTs' I have an appoinment in November with Neuro-otologist @ University of Miami (Hoffer, md).

Has anyone had a similar experience Free diving or Scuba?
Did symptoms resolve?
were you prescribed a similar treatment algorithm?
is there anything I can do that I havent?
Is there an ENT/ Otologist anywhere in the US that has experience with my type of injury that someone can recommend?

Thank you all in advance for any advice/ replies.

Blake

 

[diving-kohchang]

In the Netherlands we have specialized ENT's for barotrauma and (scuba-)diving. The traditional ones don't know about this area.
Can you search for them?

 

[BlakeB]

In the Netherlands we have specialized ENT's for barotrauma and (scuba-)diving. The traditional ones don't know about this area.
Can you search for them?

Yes will do. Thanks.

 

[lowflyer]

I had inner ear barotrauma after a long day of following students up and down the water column with an ear that wasn't equalizing properly, lost ALL hearing in right ear, was prescribed oral steroids, and told to not dive or drive to different elevations. A SCUBA instructor friend had a similar episode. Most of my hearing returned with some permanent high frequency loss. It started returning after a few months and was mostly back by six months. I resumed diving but quit assisting instructors. My instructor friend got most of his hearing back also.

At this point I doubt there is much more you can do but wait it out. Any other more aggressive treatment (surgery) would have had to be done very soon after the event. I wish you good luck!

 

[BlakeB]

I had inner ear barotrauma after a long day of following students up and down the water column with an ear that wasn't equalizing properly, lost ALL hearing in right ear, was prescribed oral steroids, and told to not dive or drive to different elevations. A SCUBA instructor friend had a similar episode. Most of my hearing returned with some permanent high frequency loss. It started returning after a few months and was mostly back by six months. I resumed diving but quit assisting instructors. My instructor friend got most of his hearing back also.

At this point I doubt there is much more you can do but wait it out. Any other more aggressive treatment (surgery) would have had to be done very soon after the event. I wish you good luck!

Thanks for the reply. Did you experience any Tinnitus ?