Perforated an eardrum

[SeaHorse81]

Oh well, got my first 'speeding ticket'.

Which probably goes to show the role that luck (or lack thereof) sometimes plays in such things. I suspect there have been other occasions when this might have happened to you but fortunately didn't. I can easily think of one night-dive descent gone awry (too fast due to lack of visual reference; inexperience) when I was remarkably lucky this didn't happen to me. Sorry it caught up to you this time, though.

 

[lowviz]

MAY YOU HAVE A SMOOTH AND QUICK RECOVERY!!! Sorry, guess I really don't need to shout. ...

-eyes still work...

Hopefully the next "eerie" dive tale you post...

I'm trying to ignore that... *groan*

 

[Ste Wart]

Phrases I no longer entertain since the op':

'Let's play it by ear'

And after a haircut 'You've had your ears lowered'

They all garner the same response

 

[lowviz]

Stew, lend me your... nevermind.

Just got the word. Can't get ANY water in ear for three weeks. NO swimming for a month. ABSOLUTELY NO stressing it (diving) for 8-10 weeks.

 

[SeaCobra]

the timing sucks, and your 'perfect pitch' may never be the same, but you'll be back in the water in no time

 

[SeaHorse81]

ABSOLUTELY NO stressing it (diving) for 8-10 weeks.

Well, crap.

 

[lowviz]

-Found something that explains why the vertigo came and went so amazingly abruptly: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/di...-perforated-eardrum-question.html#post3218848

Looks like I experienced exactly the same thing. Cold water (mid 40's F) entering the middle ear is impossible to cope with until it warms up.

Lynne appears to suffer from quite a different form of vertigo, here is a quite nice past post of hers: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/near-misses-lessons-learned/319324-vertigo.html#post4972349

-case closed.

 

[shoredivr]

get healed up soon, LV

 

[IceCreamPirate]

This happened to me while freediving...I had a computer on, wanting to see how deep I could go (competitive drive+feeling of invincibility=problems). Pushed it too hard, at 34 ft heard a "pop" in my right ear, felt cold water rushing in, instant vertigo. Fortunately for me I was not breathing compressed air so I bolted to the surface and told my buddy. When we got home my buddy insisted on putting some sort of ear drops in my ear in an attempt to prevent infection, and I'm not exaggerating when I say those drops hitting my perforated eardrum was one of the most painful experiences I've had to date. In hindsight I'm thankful for the ear drops, because the medical treatment where I was living was subpar. The doc insisted that the problem was just an earwax buildup, and sent me to a nurse to have it flushed out with one of those teeny tiny powerwashers for ears. This was also painful and I could feel and taste the water trickling into my mouth but the nurse didn't speak much English (which is my only language) and I was unable to express my concern. I tried to snorkel the next day and submerged to a very shallow depth (5 ft?) and felt the cold feeling in my ear again, so I got out of the water and sat out from diving and swimming for maybe 3 to 5 days, then tried again and it felt weird (cold feeling, passing vertigo, didn't need to equalize pressure in that ear) but not terrible so I kept doing it and was VERY VERY fortunate not to have any lasting damage. Today I can dive and equalize normally, thank goodness.

Anyways, I am very sorry this happened to you. It sounds like your case wasn't caused by pure stupidity (like mine) but rather bad luck coupled with maybe a slight lack of caution. Hopefully you'll be back to diving soon!!

 

[lowviz]

This happened to me while freediving...I had a computer on, wanting to see how deep I could go (competitive drive+feeling of invincibility=problems). Pushed it too hard, at 34 ft heard a "pop" in my right ear, felt cold water rushing in, instant vertigo.

Thanks for posting your experience! Same. For me, the vertigo was instant and intense. It is really weird being at depth and having absolutely no idea of where the surface is.

... When we got home my buddy insisted on putting some sort of ear drops in my ear in an attempt to prevent infection, and I'm not exaggerating when I say those drops hitting my perforated eardrum was one of the most painful experiences I've had to date.

That hurts just thinking about it.

... I tried to snorkel the next day and submerged to a very shallow depth (5 ft?) and felt the cold feeling in my ear again, so I got out of the water and sat out from diving and swimming for maybe 3 to 5 days, then tried again and it felt weird (cold feeling, passing vertigo, didn't need to equalize pressure in that ear) but not terrible so I kept doing it and was VERY VERY fortunate not to have any lasting damage.

Apparently you can have either a perforation or a tear (like a flap). My doc came down on me hard and I'm just now cleared. Still hurts when I pressurize on the surface, but he says all is well. Just don't push it.

... Today I can dive and equalize normally, thank goodness.

So glad, it could have been permanently damaging.

... Anyways, I am very sorry this happened to you. It sounds like your case wasn't caused by pure stupidity ...

Thanks, but if not, then it was the very next best thing to pure stupidity...

... Hopefully you'll be back to diving soon!!

Thanks again. I'm back. Lots of invites from boats and buds, choosing the best way to test the ear at depth. Slow and easy, I'm now a true believer...