Chris Ross
Contributor
Had an ear issue on my last dive, we got a little lost in lowish vis and came up to get bearings and it was a little rough compared to entry point, conferred with buddy and decided to descend and follow wall back to exit. Descent was a little fast and I just started to feel the need to equalise when I heard a pop in right ear then instant vertigo. Normally equalising is not a problem for me and just swallowing on the way down is all that's needed. My buddy dragged me away from the wall and in a minute or so the vertigo settled. we swam back UW for a while then finished with a surface swim. I felt wiped out from the whole vertigo thing and vertigo was sort of hovering in the background. Dive time was about 40-45 minutes at this time maximum depth 17m, mostly around 15m.
I thought I must have damaged an eardrum as the sudden rush of cold water would explain the vertigo. I called DAN and they suggested I go see a GP to check the ear with no special requirements on who I saw. The doctor examined the eardrum and said it looked intact, gave me antibiotics as he said it looked like I had an ear infection as the canal of both ears looked a little red and to see my own GP the next day for follow up.
I had a bit of wax in my my ear canal and my GP had trouble examining the ear drum so he sent me to an ENT who cleared out the wax - he confirmed eardrum intact - said it looked "wet" due to the wax possibly holding fluid against the ear drum, I had some clear fluid drain that night. Ear was feeling full. No more fluid after that night.
ENT examined, had audiology done a couple of days later including bone conduction. which indicated no significant loss compared to other ear on bone conduction, but loss from the headphone test. Eardrum looked good he said and he could see there was fluid behind drum . Ear still feels a little full but improving and there is slight tinnitus. ENT said he hoped that would fade once fluid build up goes and indeed it seems improved when ear feels less full. Prednisone not used as bone conduction showed no significant loss of hearing and reluctant to give it in the current COVID situation as therapeutic dose will suppress immune system.
So a couple of questions.
If eardrum was/is intact - what caused the vertigo? ENT did not have a good answer but said sudden contact with cold water in one ear could do it. Connected with wax in ear canal? Is this something to explore further?
What criteria to use to return to diving? ENT suggested 1 month after ear feels good and try it in a pool first in case of any issues. ENT is not dive specialist but knew of the various issues surrounding diving and ears.
I thought I must have damaged an eardrum as the sudden rush of cold water would explain the vertigo. I called DAN and they suggested I go see a GP to check the ear with no special requirements on who I saw. The doctor examined the eardrum and said it looked intact, gave me antibiotics as he said it looked like I had an ear infection as the canal of both ears looked a little red and to see my own GP the next day for follow up.
I had a bit of wax in my my ear canal and my GP had trouble examining the ear drum so he sent me to an ENT who cleared out the wax - he confirmed eardrum intact - said it looked "wet" due to the wax possibly holding fluid against the ear drum, I had some clear fluid drain that night. Ear was feeling full. No more fluid after that night.
ENT examined, had audiology done a couple of days later including bone conduction. which indicated no significant loss compared to other ear on bone conduction, but loss from the headphone test. Eardrum looked good he said and he could see there was fluid behind drum . Ear still feels a little full but improving and there is slight tinnitus. ENT said he hoped that would fade once fluid build up goes and indeed it seems improved when ear feels less full. Prednisone not used as bone conduction showed no significant loss of hearing and reluctant to give it in the current COVID situation as therapeutic dose will suppress immune system.
So a couple of questions.
If eardrum was/is intact - what caused the vertigo? ENT did not have a good answer but said sudden contact with cold water in one ear could do it. Connected with wax in ear canal? Is this something to explore further?
What criteria to use to return to diving? ENT suggested 1 month after ear feels good and try it in a pool first in case of any issues. ENT is not dive specialist but knew of the various issues surrounding diving and ears.