Whistle noise from ears? I'm blowing too hard?

[Gombessa]

Right. Also, the OP stated that the whistling is while she is clearing, not when she's on land. I'd be very worried if I could hear a constant whistle while I pinched my nose and blew on dry land.

 

[ligersandtions]

I've always had some issues with my ears. When I did my confined water dives, I was convinced I was doomed because I figured I was the only feeling pressure in my ears, and we were ONLY 10 feet down....turns out everyone feels the pressure in their ears in the first 10 feet because that's where the biggest pressure change is.

My ears felt sore after diving when I first started because I had to fight with them to get them to equalize. I've now found my very own little trick, which is likely to work for anyone who has moderate ear problems. Equalize early....and by early, I mean like when you wake up. I pressurize my ears when I wake up, while I'm eating, on my way to the dive site, while gearing up, just before descending, just after descending, and as long as I need to.

They say "equalize early, equalize often"....I really do, and it helps. And it helps with the pain that I used to feel afterwards. Give it a try and see if it helps you....good luck!

 

[Jim Kerr]

That sounds pretty normal for me. As I clear I hear a high-pitched whistle as I'm blowing, until my ears equalize. At that point I can definitely "hear" better in the water as well. Also, my right ear clears more easily than my left, so often I have to keep blowing after the right has cleared in order to let the left "catch up."

Same with me. I hear a high pitched sound and then feel the presure release from my ears.

Ladyvalea,
You might also want to try warming your ears up before hand. That just entails clearing your ears a few times topside before you hit the water.

 

[don Francisco]

The whistle noise when clearing either in water or on land isn't necessarily serious. But if it continues over hours, or days, it's time to see the Doc.

Every once in a while, usually after the pool, rather than diving, I hear a hiss, like an air leak when clearing, yawning or getting the last drop of water out after a swim. Sounds like I'm venting through a ruptured eardrum, but fortunalely that's only an illusion.

The tunnel effect that gives you bone conduction sound is from fluid in the middle ear (the same stuff that fills blisters) and is the result of mild barotrauma or rough clearing. Essentially, you've given yourself a hickey in there. With time it drains or is re-absorbed and your hearing gets back to nornal. As long as the pain isn't severe, and improves on it's own you can wait it out.

There isn't a cure, but you know how to prevent the problem: Clear early and often, be gentle with the Valsalva maneuver, and do not descend or ascend faster than your ears can equalize.

 

[SkipperJohn]

I did my CW dive today and my left ear did that whistle thing. And man was it loud! I mentioned it to the DI and he said I may have a slight blockage. It continued to do this all day and was harder to equalize then my other ear but bottom line it was no issue at all.

 

[Ladyvalea]

Oh, I went to the doctor today....and I have an ear infection...so I had the ear problem before the dive and didn't know it...so now I know why I could not equalize..

 

[spectrum]

As I recall you had been in the pool for prior sessions. Is it swimmers ear by any chance? Pool time in particular can be a trigger for this. Consider maintaining you ears as discussed here.

Pete

 

[Ladyvalea]

well, I was in the pool the day before.... "Spectrum " your right!! maybe that did me in?? but my doctor say it was not swimmers ear ..he gave me some antibiotics to take care of the problem...
whats the difference in "swimmers ear infection" and "just and ear infection?" do you use antibiotics to treat both? thanks for the link ...I'm goin to read it now...

 

[rsigmund]

I have found that allegra (fexophenadrine) the morning before a dive helps clear my head and makes equalizing much easier. BTW Instructors are teaching all of their students to equalize by the pich and blow method. I personaly can not equalize my ears well with that manuver and perfer the jaw wiggle / Yawn. Bottom line, it does not matter what method you use to equalize, find one that works for you and use it often as you dive.

 

[spectrum]

Swimmers ear is an infection or the outer ear, my link has more. You may have a mildle ear infection unrelated to diving. That would be otitis media (sp?) if I recall from my daughters early years.

Pete