Wrong analysis of ear drum rupture?

[Jasmine Corbett]

Along the lines of what DDM said: A doctor can examine your eardrum with the old fashioned otoscope (flashlight with an eyepiece on it) that they all stick in your ear. Or, if they are more up to the times, they use a small video camera and that's capable of recording and saving the images as well, to document a baseline and any changes in the ear.

Find a second ENT, who has video, and can give you an image for comparison. You may want to examine it yourself (because even alleged pros miss things) or find someone else to look at it. But at least you can, yes, stick your head in your ear so you can see it for yourself.(G)

Hello. Thanks for the tips. I might try and book into to see a different GP, since the last one was so useless (he took one look in my ear and said ears were not his specialism so he would put me onto a specialist waiting list which would take at least 6 months...not great to hear when you work as a diver professionally).

But yeh I will investigate into trying to find an ENT who has video! Thanks

 

[tridacna]

Hello

Thanks a lot for your reply. Im definitely leaning towards the assumption that it healed, but was a definite perforation as my symptoms were so similar to that of a perforation.

Out of interest, do you know what would be the best way to track down an ENT doctor who specialises in dive related injuries? Eg. contacting a hyperbaric chamber/dive medical centre? (Sorry vague question I know, just thought id ask just in case.)

Thanks again

Have you thought about contacting your local BSAC club? They would probably have local information.

 

[KevinNM]

DAN should have a referral list. If you call during business hours on the non-emergency line. I know there are not a lot of ENTs on their list in the US, I ended up driving 6 hours to see the nearest one to me. And paid $350 out of pocket as they were out of network, but I got the appointment in a week, so there was that. Hopefully it's better in the UK.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hello

Thanks a lot for your reply. Im definitely leaning towards the assumption that it healed, but was a definite perforation as my symptoms were so similar to that of a perforation.

Out of interest, do you know what would be the best way to track down an ENT doctor who specialises in dive related injuries? Eg. contacting a hyperbaric chamber/dive medical centre? (Sorry vague question I know, just thought id ask just in case.)

Thanks again

Jasmine, that's not a vague question at all. You can contact the London Diving Chamber, I'm sure they can refer you to an ENT familiar with diving.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Jasmine Corbett]

Jasmine, that's not a vague question at all. You can contact the London Diving Chamber, I'm sure they can refer you to an ENT familiar with diving.

Best regards,
DDM

Great, thanks a lot

 

[ScubaD1veDiv@]

I definitely wouldn’t dive until you get a medical clearance from an ENT. Best of luck. Please let us know what you find out.