Question cant equalize with the left ear

[mohamedmo]

Hi guys,
could anyone kindly help me with that issue, I'm not able to equalize with the left ear below 10m feel pain and pressure, actually, I do Frenzel equalization.
I went to see an ENT doctor he diagnosed my symptoms as "Eustachian tube dysfunction", he prescribed Fluticasone propionate nasal spray, dexamethasone ear drops, Ciprobay 500, antihistamines, pseudoephedrine, (oxymetazoline for 3 days because I had inferior turbinate enlargement too) I've tried the Neti Pot as long with sodium chloride to rinse my sinus. I'm on the medicine for one week.

btw I'm using an Otovent balloon(equalization tool)

so any recommendations.

 

[musubi]

Hi guys,
could anyone kindly help me with that issue, I'm not able to equalize with the left ear below 10m feel pain and pressure, actually, I do Frenzel equalization.
I went to see an ENT doctor he diagnosed my symptoms as "Eustachian tube dysfunction", he prescribed Fluticasone propionate nasal spray, dexamethasone ear drops, Ciprobay 500, antihistamines, pseudoephedrine, (oxymetazoline for 3 days because I had inferior turbinate enlargement too) I've tried the Neti Pot as long with sodium chloride to rinse my sinus. I'm on the medicine for one week.

btw I'm using an Otovent balloon(equalization tool)

so any recommendations.

Really sounds like that ENT just threw everything at you hoping something would work. Have you always had this condition? Were you previously able to equalize? How does this affect you with change in elevations or going on planes?

Is there a suspected reason you have this condition?

I have a friend that uses Afrin (nasal decongestant) before his dives to prevent sinus issues. I tried Afrin once and it completely cleared my nasal passage, but not necessarily my ears. I suspect pseudoephedrine would help more with the ears, however you wouldn't want to take it long term.

So if one of those meds work, I'm guessing you plan to sequentially stop taking them hoping to find which medicine works?

 

[mohamedmo]

Really sounds like that ENT just threw everything at you hoping something would work. Have you always had this condition? Were you previously able to equalize? How does this affect you with change in elevations or going on planes?

Is there a suspected reason you have this condition?

I have a friend that uses Afrin (nasal decongestant) before his dives to prevent sinus issues. I tried Afrin once and it completely cleared my nasal passage, but not necessarily my ears. I suspect pseudoephedrine would help more with the ears, however you wouldn't want to take it long term.

So if one of those meds work, I'm guessing you plan to sequentially stop taking them hoping to find which medicine works?

Actually, I had that condition two years ago, I was able to equalize with Frenzel down to (22m), and then suddenly my left ear without any reason can't pop
I went to see ENT Doctor, and he diagnosed my condition as "middle ear barotrauma" I was shocked and depressed by that. but I remember I did not go so far down to get my ear hurt that what I've had told him. maybe because of the mucus in the eustachian tube and the congested sinus, seasonal allergies I didn't know that I had seasonal allergies "cold", that what he had told me.

Afrin (nasal decongestant) has oxymetazoline as the active ingredient, which I was told that it can reduce nasal congestion. It should only be used sparingly, as repeated chronic use of this nasal spray can cause rebound nasal congestion once you discontinue the spray. also, use for about 3 days only.
after many reaches, I'm planning to use all the medicine for about another week (two weeks in total) and hopefully everything gets back to its normal state.
I have a friend who told me to give it a try and go for a chiropractor maybe he would find a solution, (he assumed that something with neck, and cervical vertebrae ).

 

[musubi]

Actually, I had that condition two years ago, I was able to equalize with Frenzel down to (22m), and then suddenly my left ear without any reason can't pop
I went to see ENT Doctor, and he diagnosed my condition as "middle ear barotrauma" I was shocked and depressed by that. but I remember I did not go so far down to get my ear hurt that what I've had told him. maybe because of the mucus in the eustachian tube and the congested sinus, seasonal allergies I didn't know that I had seasonal allergies "cold", that what he had told me.

Afrin (nasal decongestant) has oxymetazoline as the active ingredient, which I was told that it can reduce nasal congestion. It should only be used sparingly, as repeated chronic use of this nasal spray can cause rebound nasal congestion once you discontinue the spray. also, use for about 3 days only.
after many reaches, I'm planning to use all the medicine for about another week (two weeks in total) and hopefully everything gets back to its normal state.
I have a friend who told me to give it a try and go for a chiropractor maybe he would find a solution, (he assumed that something with neck, and cervical vertebrae ).

Hopefully one of those medications work for you. Not that it's the same, but I was having ear infections (both sides) after my dives and it drove me nuts trying to figure it out. It was infection of the middle ear, not in the canal which most people get. Turns out my allergies was causing excessive mucus to build up and enter my middle ear through the eustachian tubes. Taking regular antihistamines solved it.

Now that you're taking the meds, do you feel any different or better? Which antihistamines are you taking? Are you able to "pop" your ears now, on land?

In my general thought, it would be hard to imagine you ruptured anything without feeling it or suspecting something happened. Sounds like you left tube is either stuck or inflamed.

 

[mohamedmo]

Hopefully one of those medications work for you. Not that it's the same, but I was having ear infections (both sides) after my dives and it drove me nuts trying to figure it out. It was infection of the middle ear, not in the canal which most people get. Turns out my allergies was causing excessive mucus to build up and enter my middle ear through the eustachian tubes. Taking regular antihistamines solved it.

Now that you're taking the meds, do you feel any different or better? Which antihistamines are you taking? Are you able to "pop" your ears now, on land?

In my general thought, it would be hard to imagine you ruptured anything without feeling it or suspecting something happened. Sounds like you left tube is either stuck or inflamed.

right now I'm feeling better than before, I can pop my ear on land didn't go for a dive yet, my left ear felt stuck but better than before.

2 days ago, I had an appointment with an ENT surgery specialist doctor, he advised me to take medicines instead of the risk of the surgery, it's not that painful or there is no risk of having eustachian tube balloon dilation tuboplasty, but the medicine would really be helpful to cure my symptoms yes it's going to take a while to recover, that what he had told me.

for the prescription medicine:
[fluticasone propionate with azelastine Nasal Spray for 1 month (2 sprays in one nostril twice a day)]
[for the Antihistamine (bilastine 20 mg), Erdotin 300mg capsules (regulate the production of mucus in the airway), ] for 14 days.
[Diprofos Injection 2 ml (betamethasone) is used for chronic inflammation]

all these medicines along with sodium chloride to rinse my sinus, Eq tool, and Chewing Gum a lot.
and before going to dive one hour before (2 Nasal Spray in one nostril), and half an hour before (Nostamine nasal drops).
also, I'm doing some equalizations regularly around 4 times a week to strengthen the eustachian tube muscle.

I'll keep you updated after 2 weeks...
thanks

 

[DiveHacker]

May not help but the list that got me to no equalization problems… finally… was Ted hardy list on fl freedivers YouTube:

Drink water
No dairy
Preequalize and equalize often

Equalizing often completely changed things for me. Maybe you are beyond this advice?
Also, practicing equalizing helps me because my “ears get very loose” although I have heard this isn’t good for you?

If you think about it if you equalize early, it should be much like equalizing on land. So if you are equalizing well on land and can’t do early equalizations, then I would personally dig into more serious problems.

Do a sinus cleanse too. I boil water and put in a bowl. Towel over head and inhale it through nose for 10 minutes. Hot showers. I would say anything to loosen things up. For sure no dairy. I actually completely gave up dairy, 100%. It’s great