Water in the ear...

[hbh2oguard]

http://www.proear2000.com/index.htm

no more worries check out the thread "Masks that seal off "

[Zero]

remember you should put nothing in your ear smaller than your elbow!!!!"

I heard of that and since i couldnt fit my elbow in i thought id stretch it out a bit with my fingers so it would fit Never seem to have any ear problems probably because of all the dirt and junk on my fingers kills anything that gets remotely close but it works.

Matt

[Carp_dm]

Like Bama said, it's a quick rinse, not a marinade. I have been using swim ear, or something similar since at least high school. My hearing has changed some, but that had to do with work conditions (machinery) and time.

Mostly, I've noticed that my hearing has become more selective.

[acelockco]

Aparenty I have the same thing you have. I hate going to the doctor, so I don't know for sure but my wife always says I have selective hearing.

[Carp_dm]

To which I always respond "What?" She still likes me for some reason...

[fooddude]

Hello Eveybody, I'm the fooddude, and this is my first post. I'll be posting a formal introduction later, but as far as water in the ear... my ENT for 30 years has me use Afrin or another nasal inhaler PRIOR to the dive. It helps keep sinuses clear and allow for proper drainage. My ENT has me use a small amount of mineral oil / peroxide mixture to keep the ear wax at bay and prevent infection. My mixture is 50/50, and I store it in a small bottle with a medicine dropper. I don't bring this on the boat or to the dive, but use it as part of my regular hygeine after a shower once a week or so.

The "Afrin Extra Moisturizing" works great, as a matter of fact, I went diving this past Saturday nite (07/14/07) and forgot to spray, and was full of swishing water all day yesterday. I used it last nuight and within a n hour, the water was drained.

Hope this helps, glad to be a part of the group.

[Quero]

Back to the OP....

The thing with that "full" feeling in the ears that seems like you've got water in them... It may not be not water at all. Among scuba divers, the kind of sudden post-dive problem that Frankie describes is more often a slight trauma to the ear, which is why it doesn't just go away with an ear-wash solution.

Products like "ear beer", Swim-Ear, Auro-Dri, and Aqua-Ear are only meant to keep away infections of the outer ear--acute otitis externa--whereas the feeling of fullness caused by barotrauma is in the middle ear. I'm sure Lottie's mum can confirm this. Otitis externa first causes itching before the infection gets bad enough to cause swelling/blockage and is associated with other symptoms such as pain when you pull the earlobe. OTC products simply help prevent the growth of the "nasties" in the outer ear. They can do nothing for barotrauma.

This slight trauma to the ear that happens to divers is called barotitis media, and is very often sub-clinical, meaning it doesn't need specific treatment other than rest. It usually happens right after a dive, but can take up to a day to appear. It comes from not equalizing soon/often enough, sometimes from ascending too fast, and is something like a little bruise. The area gets a bit swollen, fluid builds up in the middle ear and causes a feeling of fullness. It only gets better when the fluid is reabsorbed and the swelling is gone. There is no pain associated with it.

Although this is a problem typical of new divers or those who dive infrequently, I get this myself if I have to do a series of bounce dives, such as working on CESAs with Open Water students (you know, the skill where you have to surface from 6-9 meters while exhaling--controlled emergency swimming ascent--students generally ascend much faster than my ears can keep up, causing a slight reverse squeeze).

If it doesn't go away in a couple of days without diving, it's best to go see an ENT because maybe the trauma isn't so slight after all.

In terms of prevention, I always tell my students not to wait until they feel the need to equalize on the initial descent, but to equalize on every breath so that the pressure doesn't get ahead of them.

[lottie]

Quero, that was a very concise and informative post. Thanks for the information

[heelsfaninpa]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Sorry I havent said thank you earlier, but this is the first time back on the boards in almost two weeks. Work is taking its toll on my diving desires.

I will definately try the ear beer. Hopfully that will help. I'll let you know. Also, I was greatful for the advice about equalizing early & often. After hearing that description, that actually may be the problem. I do have water in the ears soon after a dive, but when I think its gone, I feel the fullness in my ears a couple of days later. I have noticed that on my descent, I have to go slower to equalize. A couple of times, I have had to come back up because of the pain. I was told, during my cert dives, to use sudafed to help open the sinuses. I havent used it yet, but might start. I'm just not a big fan of drugs of any kind.

Thanks again to everyone. This is one of the reasons I joined this board; Learning from others.

Have a wet weekend!

Frankie

[Zero]

Check out with your diving doc the risk of sudafed with diving. It can increase your chances of bending.

Matt