Earache remedy

[norcal-noodler]

Allright I broke my ear.

Yesterday during a fantastic day of fishing Fisk Mill (Norcal)we pulled in a nice ling, a couple cabs, a few greenlings, and about a dozen rockcod at around 30ft. Well during the dive I heard the lovely crackling/hissing sound in my ear. I've heard a bit of this before but have got nothing more than a little water in the ear before. This has always cleared/dried up pretty quickly. This time it is lingering and figured I ask you guys for a little help. Now my symptoms are rather dull hearing and a very slight ringy sound in my ear ( it may have been in my head all along but I have failed to notice it) Anyways it does not hurt in anyway and am not sure the best remedy and how long to wait to dive again (so close to the end of the season) By the way I have allergies so I usually take a couple sudafed before a dive.

I'll appreciate any advice you guys can offer, I'm pretty new to the sport and can definately be called a rookie. O'yeah and my insurance in catastrophic so a trip to the doc costs a bundle nowadays.

Thanks ------Tobias

[Steve-o]

Can you be more specific about your previous bouts with water in the ear? I get water in my ears every time I shower, and it dries quickly too, but I suspect you might be talking about something else. I am assuming that you equalize your ears if you are diving to thirty feet.

Just a shot in the dark here, but my ears squeak and whistle if I equalize when sick and congested. The eustacian tubes lead from the back of your nose/mouth to the otherwise closed space behind the eardrum, and their opening is what makes this sound. Is the dullness to your hearing like when changing altitude and you need to yawn, chew gum, etc to make your ears pop? If you are really congested or have a runny nose, maybe your equalizing induced a slight pressurization of one ear that partially remains, and would account for the dullness you describe.

You are asking for an earache remedy but stated that you have no pain with this condition, so I am not sure I understand you correctly. If it persists I'd see a doctor anyways, although I think most serious ear conditions would cause you pain, but I am a physiology student and not a doctor.

[norcal-noodler]

I'm definately equalizing on my decents or I think my head would pop A slight pressurzation sounds about right right but now I'm assuming my eustacian tube is possiby swollen and not allowing the the pressure to equalize or return back to normal. I am wondering if a decongestant or anti-inflamatory would be the best way to tackle this or if I should just try meditation, headstands, or eating marshmallows.

[Steve-o]

Well, that's what I was thinking too. I think mine bothered me for a while after I dove with a cold. If so, some decongestants and motrin might help.

[Burcham]

Don't rule out the possibility of a rupured tempanic membrane. If it persists, you may want to have a doc look in there.

[Rigger]

somewhat related. coming up from a dive one time that i had a little trouble equalizing , i noticed that i had become light headed as if i had stood up to fast. i just held on to the rig leg until i got my bearings . any ideas ?

[zenspearo]

go to the doctor. You don't want to screw around with this. Spearboard is great for many things--medical advice isn't one of those things.

Last time I got what I thought is water in the ear, the doctor saw infection. Antibiotic and prednisone got me back in the water in 5 days, just in time for vacation.

[Pfish]

Go to a doc if you think it might be serious. But, for what it is worth, I use straight hydrogen peroxide in my ear. Put a cap full in and lay on your side for about 5 minutes and enjoy the tingling. Roll over and do the other side.

[Durango]

Last time I got an ear infection and got antibiotics the nurse told me to put alcohol or swim ear drops in my ears prior to getting in the water. I have been doing that and it has worked out well, the spaces in your ears susceptible to keeping in the water and fill with alcohol and then dry out nicely when you get out of the water. Last infection had me lose about 50% of my hearing in my right ear. The ten day antibiotic cycle cleared it up. But like Joe said this board is great for a lot of advice, for medical go see your doctor.

[Marcus]

Sounds like you ruptured your eardrum. If so, you definitely DON'T want to put alcohol/hydrogen peroxide in it. Trust me on this. I put alchohol in mine and it was the second most painful thing I've ever felt. A rupture usually takes about 3 months to heal properly. A cheap walk-in clinic visit would reveal this and probably could perscribe you some antibiotics to deal the possiblity of any infections that could be brewing due to the water getting inside your drum. Good luck.

[Burcham]

Rigger:

What you're describing is probably alternoberic <sp> vertigo. It results from having different presssures in your two ears (ie. one clears properly, the other doesn't). Happens to me all the time, nothing to worry about.

[Thiofjappekat]

Sounds like you had a reverse squeeze after your Sudafed wore off and you became recongested and gave your ear the coup de grace after one final dive. Most of us experience this tosome extent, but the worst case can leave you with a ruptured Tympanic Membrane as already mentioned. The textbook answer has you out of the water for 4-6 wks after reevaluation, but the truth is most patients end up needing a little more time. You may not have ruptured your TM and may have barotrauma, damage to your ear from the build up of pressure. This usually heals on its own but is helped along by steroids. The safest thing to do is to have a provider examine your ear while you are attempting to clear your ears or Valsalva. If you absolutely cannot get to a Dr., stay out of the water for at least 8 weeks, but try to get to someone, especially of that ringing, full sensation persists. If you go back into the water with a rupture, you will get water in your ears and develop a nasty otitis which will keep you out even longer. Play it safe in other words. Good luck.

Neil

[IB Boyd]

Dito what everybody said about seeing the doc.....last time I had ear woes, was CONVINCED there was water stuck in my ear canal,or something wrong with the eardrum( I also had fuzzy hearing and a full sensation), but was wrong, just excessive congestion/mild infection in inner ear. Decongestants and some high powered perscription nose spray solved it, but it took a doctor to diagnose.

[norcal-noodler]

Thanks everyone,
Went to see the doc today and I was prescribed a nasal spray to try and open up my passages. Looks like the drums are O.K. at this point probally just a some congestion which hopefully will clear up really soon. Who wants to go DIVE !!!!!

[Durango]

Noodle,
Make sure you put ear drops (or alcohol) in your ear BEFORE you go in the water, it really helps.