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Old 11-26-2012, 02:05 AM   #1
randyrhoads
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Ears wont equalize

Ever since I got back from Afghanistan 4 years ago I have had trouble equalizing my ears. It's on and off, sometimes it's like the worst swimmers ear and everything is muffled, sometimes I don't notice it. When it is there it seems like NOTHING will fix it. I have been to an ENT DR who said he would set me up to puncture my eardrum and place a tube in it to allow them to equalize. Thanks to the wonderful health care of the VA I still have yet to get an apt.

How will this effect my dive? Is this something the dive shop will not allow if they find out? Has anyone had any similar issues?
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Old 11-26-2012, 02:17 AM   #2
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Re: Ears wont equalize

I have heard the tubes in your ear WILL affect your equalizing. I work at a dive shop and I do not believe they prohibit your diving experience rather guide you on what to do. Everyone is different equalizing so dive within your limits (as always) by doing easy dives and see how far you can go without discomfort.

If possible I would avoid the surgery and try another method. Get a more powerful eardrop and always use Swimmers ear and see if symptoms go away. Ear infections can last a long time if not treated correctly.
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Old 11-26-2012, 02:21 AM   #3
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Re: Ears wont equalize

I was planning on getting my advanced open water, and hopefully rescue while i'm in Hawaii.

There is no infection in my ear, I wish there was, it would be easier to fix.
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Old 11-26-2012, 10:32 PM   #4
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Re: Ears wont equalize

Anyone else? I just read the medical waiver for a dive shop. One of the questions asks about ear disease, hearing loss, problems with balance, or any reccurent ear problems.
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Old 11-27-2012, 08:55 AM   #5
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Re: Ears wont equalize

Bro getting tubes in your ears would mean that water would go to your inner ear causing further pain and ear infections. Why do you think Military Divers that ruptured/ Perforated their TM's/ Eardrums can no longer dive. Just an FYI, sometimes i question some of you guys for common sense. Working in military medicine and having been to Afghanistan I guarantee that you have a shit-ton of earwax build up and you might just want to get an Ear Irragation. Alot of the guys I treated would wear head phones, ear pieces for convoy ops or comms and they were it all day. That causes sweat, dirt, grease and everything else to get trapped in your ears and just forming the biggest ear wax you'll ever see. I've done multiple ear irragation in Afghanistan for my guys and who would complain of ear pain, muffle hearing and jaw pain. I would flush their ears out and flush out dime size wax, instantly curing them.
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Old 11-27-2012, 12:09 PM   #6
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Re: Ears wont equalize

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Originally Posted by freedivingfool View Post
Bro getting tubes in your ears would mean that water would go to your inner ear causing further pain and ear infections. Why do you think Military Divers that ruptured/ Perforated their TM's/ Eardrums can no longer dive. Just an FYI, sometimes i question some of you guys for common sense. Working in military medicine and having been to Afghanistan I guarantee that you have a shit-ton of earwax build up and you might just want to get an Ear Irragation. Alot of the guys I treated would wear head phones, ear pieces for convoy ops or comms and they were it all day. That causes sweat, dirt, grease and everything else to get trapped in your ears and just forming the biggest ear wax you'll ever see. I've done multiple ear irragation in Afghanistan for my guys and who would complain of ear pain, muffle hearing and jaw pain. I would flush their ears out and flush out dime size wax, instantly curing them.
Thanks, I must have no common sense for listening to an ENT that said there was no downside and no reason not to do it. If it means I can't dive then I guess I will be dealing with not being able to hear. And no, I do not have a build up of wax, that's the first thing they check before reccomending a tympanostomy. The ENT said my ears were abnormally clean and free of wax, probablly from me constantly cleaning them with hopes to hear.

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Old 11-27-2012, 12:54 PM   #7
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Re: Ears wont equalize

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Originally Posted by randyrhoads View Post
Thanks, I must have no common sense for listening to an ENT that said there was no downside and no reason not to do it. If it means I can't dive then I guess I will be dealing with not being able to hear. And no, I do not have a build up of wax, that's the first thing they check before reccomending a tympanostomy. The ENT said my ears were abnormally clean and free of wax, probablly from me constantly cleaning them with hopes to hear.
Hey randyrhoads, equilization can be a real problem obviously. Myringotomy will help drain your inner ear and the tube usually migrates out in a couple of months. Until then you can't dive unfortunately. I have treated quite a few perforations in spearing and competition. They often heal in a week or two but not always. Myringotomy is nothing more than a surgical perforation. Have you tried mucinex, ibuprofen and afrin. There are also equalizing exercises you can try that will facilitate the process. it will prime your eustacian tubes. The people who freedive for a living equalize up to hundreds of times per day as "ear drum exercises". Like any other training, the more you do it the easier it becomes. Hope this helps.

John
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Old 11-27-2012, 09:41 AM   #8
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Re: Ears wont equalize

Perhaps you could factor in a low grade allergy reaction, any sinus compromise will affect ease of equalization.
I've been around the block with this and what works for me is flushing with "Swimmers Ear" this product is a mix of Isopropyl Alcohol, and Glycerin.
Glycerin is a good skin emolient, however, keeping the eardrum lubricated with Mineral Oil is the best method for eardrum flexibility.
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Old 11-27-2012, 01:22 PM   #9
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Re: Ears wont equalize

Ok, so your saying you rather be deaf but able to dive? Ok bro go luck with that, it will be hard to hear the firehouse alarm going off when your deaf! You might have common sense but your priorities are just jacked up if your willing to give up your hearing to dive.

Good luck with your endeavors!!
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Old 11-30-2012, 01:51 AM   #10
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Re: Ears wont equalize

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Originally Posted by freedivingfool View Post
Ok, so your saying you rather be deaf but able to dive? Ok bro go luck with that, it will be hard to hear the firehouse alarm going off when your deaf! You might have common sense but your priorities are just jacked up if your willing to give up your hearing to dive.

Good luck with your endeavors!!


Where did I say I was deaf? I said SOMETIMES it sounds like i'm underwater. I've been living with this for a few years now and a couple more weeks of it to dive isn't going to kill me, that has nothing to do with my priorities. Do you have trouble reading? I could say your priority should be to learn to read better or not be so harsh and judgemental.... But there's no reason for you either of us to be telling each other what our priorities should be. Lighten up.

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Originally Posted by hogphish View Post
Hey randyrhoads, equilization can be a real problem obviously. Myringotomy will help drain your inner ear and the tube usually migrates out in a couple of months. Until then you can't dive unfortunately. I have treated quite a few perforations in spearing and competition. They often heal in a week or two but not always. Myringotomy is nothing more than a surgical perforation. Have you tried mucinex, ibuprofen and afrin. There are also equalizing exercises you can try that will facilitate the process. it will prime your eustacian tubes. The people who freedive for a living equalize up to hundreds of times per day as "ear drum exercises". Like any other training, the more you do it the easier it becomes. Hope this helps.

John
I have not tried any meds for it, the next time it happens i'll give it a shot. When I get back I will double my efforts to get the Myringotomy so I can find out if that's even the issue. What excercises, Valsalva maneuver, general equalizing?
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Old 11-30-2012, 06:43 AM   #11
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Re: Ears wont equalize

Valsalva is not an optimal way to equalize whether you dive with tanks or free. Google Frenzel. You could also google Immersion Freediving and contact Ted Harty. He does Skype training on Frenzel and equalization. He is perhaps one of the best out there to demonstrate the technique.
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Old 11-30-2012, 11:32 AM   #12
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Re: Ears wont equalize

Figures the guy running his mouth is a free diver
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Old 11-30-2012, 03:43 PM   #13
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Re: Ears wont equalize

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Figures the guy running his mouth is a free diver
First of all Bro, I been doing this for longer than you and dove all over the world and been to places on the map that you wouldn't even know where it was. Freediving and scuba. I was just trying to help this guy and this was his direct quote

" If it means I can't dive then I guess I will be dealing with not being able to hear"

so to me that sounded like this dude was willing to give up his hearing to be able to dive and that's what i got out of it. So before you yap your gums read the whole discussion. I'm not a Freediver/Scuba diver, i'm a fisherman!

There was a quote on here that went:

Never argue with an Idiot, he'll drag you down to his level and beat your with experience! That's how I feel about this tread now, good luck to you gents..
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