Opinions on whether LDS is being fair?

[RonFrank]

I recently was unable to finish my AOW for various reasons... like.... errr trama from an Alien Viewing!!!

So I would like to ERRR.. take you up on that $100 offer thing

Ron

if not, come to Cancun, and I will finish your course for a hundred bucks in the sunny carribean.

 

[boulderjohn]

To reply to the last 2 posts. No nobody ever did explain to me about my ears. I told the doctor what had happened and as soon as I mentioned Scuba diving he kinda chuckled as if it were common. By the time I got to him it was like 5 days later and my hearing was pretty much normal again. He just examined them, gave me a hearing test and said my hearing was great and no visible damage to the ears.

When I first started diving, I had trouble hearing all the time afterwards, no matter how careful I was. One time I happened to see a bottle of a swimmer's ear product of some kind and I squirted it in my ear. It "cured" me 100% immediately. It was not any kind of barotrauma--my outer ears just tend to collect water. I use ear drops regularly now and never have a problem.

 

[RonFrank]

I have not had problems clearing, or with infections, or anything else. But every time I dive in cold water, I feel like I have water in my ears for a day after the dive.

I'm going to try the pro plugs. If I don't like them, I'm out $10. If they keep water out of my ears, then I'll buy a second pair!!

Ron

When I first started diving, I had trouble hearing all the time afterwards, no matter how careful I was. One time I happened to see a bottle of a swimmer's ear product of some kind and I squirted it in my ear. It "cured" me 100% immediately. It was not any kind of barotrauma--my outer ears just tend to collect water. I use ear drops regularly now and never have a problem.

 

[FatCat]

As for this specific situation, we are really missing a LOT of the important details that would allow us to make a more informed opinion.
...

Is it good customer releations, good business, a ripp off? Hard to say without knowing more....

Ron

Hear, hear!

I have not had problems clearing, or with infections, or anything else. But every time I dive in cold water, I feel like I have water in my ears for a day after the dive.

I'm going to try the pro plugs. If I don't like them, I'm out $10. If they keep water out of my ears, then I'll buy a second pair!!

Ron

I've mentioned my eczema buildup in this thread before. It is quite a common problem, you just have to see an ENT once in a while to get your ears cleaned.

If you keep getting waterlogged ears, try this trick: take a piece of toiletpaper, roll one corner into a point and stick it in your ear as far as it will go. If it's the same problem I have from time to time, you'll feel a bit of pressure. Leave the toiletpaper in your ear for about a minute and pull it out. The toiletpaper will have wicked out the water and the "ringing" should be gone as well as the sensation of having water in your ears.

Simple and effective, although you look like a berk with the TP sticking out of your ears :grin:

 

[jbd]

To reply to the last 2 posts. No nobody ever did explain to me about my ears. I told the doctor what had happened and as soon as I mentioned Scuba diving he kinda chuckled as if it were common. By the time I got to him it was like 5 days later and my hearing was pretty much normal again. He just examined them, gave me a hearing test and said my hearing was great and no visible damage to the ears. But I did do a lot of research on it myself before I went.

Regarding your ears. More than likely the 30 lbs was indeed too much. Consequently your descent was faster than your ability to clear. You felt discomfort at depth but finall were able to equalize the pressure by using force which is indicated by you saying, " I eventually felt fine". Its possible that you were experiencing some congestion prior to the dive which made equalizing more difficult than normal or maybe the effort of repeated attempts to equalize caused some swelling of the tissues that form the Eustachion tube. I thinking you had some prior congestion due to the blood in your mask. I'm also thinking you may have forced some fluid into your ear with the forcefull equalization. Whatever the cause of the swelling your ears didn't fully equalize on the way up which left you with distended or bulging ear drums. This is what gave you the feeling of not hearing normally. Over time the swelling went down and the this allowed for the ear to become equalized again. If there was fluid in trapped in the middle ear it either drained via the Eustachian tube or was absorbed by the body. This returned things to normal and by the time you went to the doctor everything was fine.

My recommendations to you are:

1) Establish by fact, not by guessing, what proper weighting is for you. If you truly need 30 lbs thats fine but if you truly need 20 lbs and are wearing 30 you will have difficulty controlling your buoyancy which means fast descents and ascents.

2)Once you have proper weighting, practice buoyancy control to the point that you can descend and ascend slowly and stop at any depth you choose. Is easier than you think. Excellent buoyancy control gives you plenty of time to equalize your ears and sinuses.

3)If you have trouble equalizing, Stop and either ascend or descend a few feet as called for and attempt to equalize again. Do not equalize while you are feeling any discomfort. Move to a depth which provides comfort and then gently attempt to equalize again.

4) Equalize early and often--this means every couple of feet, don't wait until you feel pressure or discomfort.

5) Don't dive if you are congested. This will only enhance your chances of actually injuring your ears or sinuses.

Best regards,

jbd

 

[jbd]

If you keep getting waterlogged ears, try this trick: take a piece of toiletpaper, roll one corner into a point and stick it in your ear as far as it will go. If it's the same problem I have from time to time, you'll feel a bit of pressure. Leave the toiletpaper in your ear for about a minute and pull it out. The toiletpaper will have wicked out the water and the "ringing" should be gone as well as the sensation of having water in your ears.

Simple and effective, although you look like a berk with the TP sticking out of your ears :grin:

I've used this method also. It does work. Another thing to do for water in the ear canal is to use the drops for swimmers ear. The alcohol changes the surface tension of the water and allows it to drain out easier.Do not use plain alcohol The alcohol needs to be diluted and preferably contain glycerine. Swimmers ear drops are cheap also cheaper than the previously mentioned ear plugs.

 

[LC-Rider]

I have not had problems clearing, or with infections, or anything else. But every time I dive in cold water, I feel like I have water in my ears for a day after the dive.

I'm going to try the pro plugs. If I don't like them, I'm out $10. If they keep water out of my ears, then I'll buy a second pair!!

Ron

Ron,

I am not an expert on this but we were taught during our OW not to use ear plugs while diving as it will prevent equalization and the ear plugs could possibly be forced into the ear canal.

Dive safe,
Tom

 

[opiniongirl]

Tried really hard not to stay away...but jeez...blood in mask, pain on decent, descending too quickly...pain later that night...feeling better 5 days later...doctor sees no infection or trauma?

ummm.... what does this most sound like:

1. Middle ear squeeze
2. a hereditary, life-long skin condition
3. a spider who laid eggs in his ear and they hatched...

For the most reasonable answer, turn to the Divemaster manual...and as well as how they can be prevented, and who is responsible for ensuring a safe decent for uncertified divers....

 

[jbd]

Ron,

I am not an expert on this but we were taught during our OW not to use ear plugs while diving as it will prevent equalization and the ear plugs could possibly be forced into the ear canal.

Dive safe,
Tom

The plugs that are sometimes used by divers have holes in them that allows for the equalizing the resultant airspace without forcing the plug further into the ear canal.

 

[Phish-phood]

Tried really hard not to stay away...but jeez...blood in mask, pain on decent, descending too quickly...pain later that night...feeling better 5 days later...doctor sees no infection or trauma?

ummm.... what does this most sound like:


Okay so I am an OW student, my instructor has told me several times about proper descents, ear-clearing, pains in my ears making it very clear the possible repercussions of not doing things properly. He has warned me several times what to watch out for and on our first dive he descends slowly with me, watching me carefully ready to slow me down if I am dropping too quickly. In the meantime I get a pain in my ear but I say nothing, instead I just keep going, trying to clear my ears like I have been taught and eventually the pain goes and I'm fine, continue the dive with no problems.

On surfacing I have blood in my ear and hearing problems and it transpires that I have damaged my ear on the dive. At this point the only responsible thing the instructor can do is advise e to see a doctor and to get a medical release before he will take me diving again. Am I seriously going to try and hold the instructor responsible for what was my own fault? The instructor has done everything humanly possible to teach me what the dangers of not clearing your ears can be and what to look out for and what to do if I do get a pain on descent. After that it is up to the me to take a certain degree of responsibility for myself!!

On the other hand an instructor who causes a barotrauma in their for one reason or an other should of course be held responsible!!!