Ear problems and equalising - surgery? techniques? solutions?

Hi All,

First time poster, long time ear problem sufferer. I've read and received a lot of conflicting advise over the last year or so and am near the end of my tether. I've got a great opportunity coming up which I don't want to miss but I want to understand my options before I take up the opportunity and regret it. I'm hoping you helpful people can give me some advise from experience.

I'm getting my Open Water qualifications and I've completed my confined pool dives. I went to Vobster in October to complete my open water dives and perforated my left ear drum trying to equalise. It healed after about 2 weeks.

I'm about to go on honeymoon to Thailand, on which I hope to complete my qualifications with a UK dive company operating out there. My problem is that the diving will likely take place half way through a month-long trip, and I don't want to ruin the second half of my honeymoon by going deaf again.

The background is that I've always suffered ear problems. Between the ages of 3-5 I had Glue Ear and had grommets in both ears. To this day (i'm 31), descending in a plane causes me considerable pain usually only in my left ear. Not just "discomfort", I'd go so far as to say agony in fact, but it usually clears an hour or two after landing.

I visited my GP after my recent perforation. I explained to him my history and mentioned that my dive instructor guessed that the perforation might have occurred due to a plug of ear wax suddenly giving way. The GP was unsure either way however he recommended I get an ear syringing from the practice nurse once the perforation - which he could clearly see - had healed. However this appears to have been misinformed advise. The nurse tells me they don't perform syringing on anyone who has had a) grommets at any point in their life, or b) a perforation. Apparently the structural changes caused to the ear by both situations make syringing dangerous. Both these previous events were plainly in my medical record, so it seems the GP might have been misinformed about other things we discussed too.

I requested a referral to an ENT specialist which the GP duly made, but after 3 months I'm still yet to hear back.

Needless to say this whole thing is deeply frustrating.

I don't think my methods of equalising are at fault. I don't do it too hard and my right ear equalises fine anyway. I used an Otovent for 3 weeks before the dive when I perforated my ear and everything was fine - both ears popped without problems. Other more experienced divers with my local PADI school suggested I use a steroid nasal spray 2 weeks before the dive. Others have said they have heard of out-patient surgery to adapt my eustachian tubes that 'solves' the problem once and for all, however i'm yet to read of anyone who has actually had it - it appears to be diver myth!

Am I just doomed not to be able to dive? Has anyone had this surgery? Are there any divers on this forum who've had real, life-long ear problems in the past or damaged them, that have got around their problems?

Would really appreciate any advice!

My advice, don't get your medical advice off here. Speak to those nice chaps at the Midlands Dive Chamber. Visit their website, where there's a whole host of information about equalizing. Email the dive doctor. Ear injuries are the most common form of diving injury.

Cheers Clanger, i'll give them a call.

I was hoping for anecdotal help from people on this forum who might have perhaps had a similar medical history. I'll leave proper medical advise to the professionals, but I'd like to hear from anyone who has experienced medical advise that helped them.

At this point my main concern is finding whether there is any solution to my problem, not so much seeking a proper medical response.

There are other equalising techniques that might help with this. I think one is called the Frenzell technique (Or something like that). That should stop pressure on your ears. Another thing to bear in mind is that you should equalise before you feel pain. You might be leaving it too long before equalising.

Follow the Major's advice and see what they say.

I'd be wary of paying for private referral to an ENT specialist, I've made that mistake.

I too have issues with my ears.

I'm getting up towards a total of 200 dives so do not give up hope.

Rule 1 Patience.

Rule 2 Pick your buddy's carefully and f*** off any t**t that will not wait while you get comfortable.

Warn your buddy that you have problems and get them to acknowledge that you may have to descend very slowly, before getting in the water, and better when the DM is pairing up buddies. Better still bring your own

Rule 3 Pick your dives carefully.

When the dive guide gets to the point in the briefing about how we drop down 15 meters through the current and get in the shelter of the reef, thumb the dive.

Rule 4 A shot line helps (a lot). I'm a little inch worm, inch by inch

Rule 5 Start to clear at the surface. get your first clears in before your head is a foot below the surface

Rule 6 Do not wait to feel pressure, let alone pain. Clear every few inches for the first few feet.
Good buoyancy control and controlled descent are critical, practice in the pool until you can inch down free in open water if you need to.
Descend vertically, head up. If you try and duck dive from the surface that first two feet of pressure will lock your Eustachian tubes closed.

Rule 7 If you cannot clear, come up a few inches and start again.

Rule 8 Follow the party, with your buddy, at whatever depth you have reached, and keep clearing, work your way down gently to the rest of the party.
Don't let the DM pressure you, you are paying him to take care of you and that includes your ears
Remember Boyles law is on your side as you go deeper, it does get easier.

Rule 9 If all else fails thumb the dive.

Notes

The first dive after a break is usually worse than usual, at least for me and my boss buddy. Once you have got down to depth, however slowly, the return usually gives your Eustachian tubes a good raking out, and later dives are usually easier. However abusing your ears can bruise the Eustachian tube and make subsequent clearing harder, so always always always gentle.

Warm water helps in my experience, Vobster and hoods will not help you, in my estimation,

Good luck and take care

Cheers Harry

If it were me I wouldn't dive on honeymoon, save your energy for other activities, get some advice from the Midlands Dive Chamber and try the suggested 'rules' from Shoka, otherwise you may get plenty of ' earache ' from your new wife. You can finish the training in the UK.
I can understand that you would like to dive in Thailand but you could spoil a good holiday. Whatever you decide, best of luck

One of my occasional dive buddies has ears that are slow to equalise, the advice is clear your ears before you feel any pain, and if you don't feel your left ear equalise don't descend any further.
Tell your buddy and DM before the dive you can only descend very slowly
As suggested above pick your dives and buddy carefully negative entries or anything requiring a quick descent are out. On occasions it can take her 5min to descend the first 3m, generaly once we're deeper than 6m she can descend quicker.
The more she dives the easier she finds it to equalise.
HTH
SmartMonkey

Just another piece of advice to throw into the mix; try gently equalising your ears frequently on a daily basis. This can sometimes help for when you actually get in the water .

My son has problems and doing this certainly helped him. As did a pro-ear mask.

I have a similar problem with my left ear. Sometimes it's equalises, sometimes not. I had it checked out by my GP who gave me the all clear (should never have bothered). I find that valsalva does nothing for my left ear, so now I mainly use the frenzel technique with pushing my jaw about and swallowing to get it to go. I find chewing gum also helps before a dive.

I'm also the last one down the line, and having a buddy who understand your issue really does matter. I have been put in a situation of losing my buddy or risking damage before, which is why I'm now signed of diving for a month with barotrauma. It's just not worth it.

Skip the GP and go to your local Dive Chamber, I'm a lot more clued up on what works "for me" and what I should be doing since I went to them.

And if you find a good one, tell us about it. Some of us have less than happy experience with the medical profession in this area.

Harry

Read this document on the Frenzel technique. This will help you with equalizing.

Oops . . would help if i gave the link Frenzel Technique

As a thought similar to Billy's if it may ruin your honeymoon, enjoy the snorkeling. Don't know where you are heading, but I've had better snorkeling experiences in Thailand than diving TBH. Seen sharks, morays, sea snakes, stunning coral, fish galore.... all snorkeling. Just a thought, you only get one go at the honeymoon Well maybe