Hope someone can shed some light on this!
Here is my story – maybe an atypical inner ear barotrauma?
Day 1 – I did one introductory (scuba) dive, when descended my ears felt some pain and ascended a little bit and equalize OK. Anyway, I think my valsalva maybe forceful. No abnormality (no vertigo, no hearing loss and no tinnitus) after surfacing.
Day 2 – I did another introductory dive, when descended my ears felt some pain and ascended a little bit and equalize OK. Anyway, I think my valsalva maybe forceful again. No abnormality (no vertigo, no hearing loss and no tinnitus) after surfacing.
Day 13 – I heard a loud (but not very loud) but not very loud tinnitus in my left ear and then it is gone.
Day 20 – I first noticed a slight tinnitus in both years. I could only hear it when I lied down on my bed before sleep or in very quiet place.
Day 28 – I visited an ENT. Hearing test was normal (the test was up to 8K only). The ENT found no problem with my ears and said that any dive related problem will arise with 2-3 days and therefore he excluded my tinnitus was diving induced. His diagnosis was unknown cause or early aging of hair cells.
And then around 4 months passed, my tinnitus was almost the same, maybe with very little increase in intensity.
Day 130 – I did 3 dives in one day. During the 2nd dive, my ears felt painful during descent. Ascended a little bit and equalize OK. Not long after I surfaced, my right year was muffled. I think my valsalva maybe forceful. Again, no other symptoms – no vertigo, no tinnitus. I did the 3rd dive – night dive. Went home and notice my tinnitus was louder.
Day 131 – After I woke up, my right ear was not muffled and tinnitus returned to normal (maybe a little bit increase in loudness but barely noticeable)
Day 133- Visited another ENT (he himself used to be diving instructor). He checked my ears and diagnosed middle-ear barotrauma with bruise in both eardrums. Again, he said my tinnitus was not caused by diving. Prescribed me decongestant, neurobine and betaserc. No improvement of tinnitus after I took the medicines for one month and actually my tinnitus has gradually become louder.
And then another 3 months has passed, my tinnitus has gradually increased in intensity with left ear louder and I have visited a couple of ENTs during this period. Did several hearing tests and all were normal. Almost all ENTs said my tinnitus was not diving induced because one or two of the reason below: 1) No vertigo 2) no hearing loss 3) symptom should arise within 72 hours. The last ENT (he is a scuba diver) said it it likely I shocked my tiny hair cells by forceful valsalva.
Anybody have any ideas if it is likey an inner ear barotrauma?
Here is my story – maybe an atypical inner ear barotrauma?
Day 1 – I did one introductory (scuba) dive, when descended my ears felt some pain and ascended a little bit and equalize OK. Anyway, I think my valsalva maybe forceful. No abnormality (no vertigo, no hearing loss and no tinnitus) after surfacing.
Day 2 – I did another introductory dive, when descended my ears felt some pain and ascended a little bit and equalize OK. Anyway, I think my valsalva maybe forceful again. No abnormality (no vertigo, no hearing loss and no tinnitus) after surfacing.
Day 13 – I heard a loud (but not very loud) but not very loud tinnitus in my left ear and then it is gone.
Day 20 – I first noticed a slight tinnitus in both years. I could only hear it when I lied down on my bed before sleep or in very quiet place.
Day 28 – I visited an ENT. Hearing test was normal (the test was up to 8K only). The ENT found no problem with my ears and said that any dive related problem will arise with 2-3 days and therefore he excluded my tinnitus was diving induced. His diagnosis was unknown cause or early aging of hair cells.
And then around 4 months passed, my tinnitus was almost the same, maybe with very little increase in intensity.
Day 130 – I did 3 dives in one day. During the 2nd dive, my ears felt painful during descent. Ascended a little bit and equalize OK. Not long after I surfaced, my right year was muffled. I think my valsalva maybe forceful. Again, no other symptoms – no vertigo, no tinnitus. I did the 3rd dive – night dive. Went home and notice my tinnitus was louder.
Day 131 – After I woke up, my right ear was not muffled and tinnitus returned to normal (maybe a little bit increase in loudness but barely noticeable)
Day 133- Visited another ENT (he himself used to be diving instructor). He checked my ears and diagnosed middle-ear barotrauma with bruise in both eardrums. Again, he said my tinnitus was not caused by diving. Prescribed me decongestant, neurobine and betaserc. No improvement of tinnitus after I took the medicines for one month and actually my tinnitus has gradually become louder.
And then another 3 months has passed, my tinnitus has gradually increased in intensity with left ear louder and I have visited a couple of ENTs during this period. Did several hearing tests and all were normal. Almost all ENTs said my tinnitus was not diving induced because one or two of the reason below: 1) No vertigo 2) no hearing loss 3) symptom should arise within 72 hours. The last ENT (he is a scuba diver) said it it likely I shocked my tiny hair cells by forceful valsalva.
Anybody have any ideas if it is likey an inner ear barotrauma?
