Hi. I just found this thread and felt it was appropriate to post here because a few weeks ago I experienced exactly the same symptoms as alejo326 described at the start of this thread. I was freediving down a line and despite horrendous ear pain I slowly, steadily got deeper with each successive dive before the pain hit me, down to about 8 or 9metres where I called it quits for the day. :naughty Looking back it's so obvious that trying to force the equalisations was stupid and dangerous... It's strange the way people can become so focused on one thing that we forget basic safety...:head
My GP diagnosed the problem as a sinus infection. I made sure he had a thorough look in my ears because, just like the original post in this thread, my left ear was still ringing a few days later - I was half-deaf for a few days! So, it was a big relief when the doc reassured me that I had not blown my ear-drum out! Phew! Also, there was no build-up of wax.
My GP prescribed an aqueous steroid nasal spray called "Beconase" (beclometasone dipropionate) to use twice daily and I have used it as described for the past 10 days. He said it should be ok to get back in the water after using the nasal spray for about a week. But he made a point of saying that this advice was based entirely on his extensive experience of high-altitude mountaineering and its associated medical issues rather than any knowledge of freediving, so if anyone here can give a more experienced medical perspective I would be grateful. Anyway, he suggested that as long as there was no discomfort or pain I could also start doing some shallow dives after a week of treatment and slowly increase the depth as long as it was easy and comfortable to do so.
2 days ago I got a rare opportunity to get out with a buddy. We went to a local river which has some amazing rock formations, and approximately 5-6metres max depth. I decided to start off just surface swimming, then slowly work my way from the shallow part (1metre) where we got in towards the deeper parts a few hundred metres upstream.
The first hour I limited myself to 3-4 metres depth, but even that felt great because I was able to equalise with little more than a swallow - and no ear pain! So I decided to fin further upstream to the deepest part, but below 4metres I was suddenly unable to equalise and got intense pain in my left ear. Remembering my previous mistake I came straight back to the surface. Despite the hot weather the river comes straight off the mountains and we were getting a bit cold by this time, so it was an easy decision to stop diving then. Unlike the first time there were no after-effects such as discomfort, stuffy feeling in ears and nose, or ringing in my ears. I interpret those as good signs!
To alejo326; I hope your sinus infection cleared up ok, and if you're reading this, please could you let me know how long your sinus infection took to clear, and if you experienced anything like what I have described while your infection was healing? I know it will take much more than a week to heal, and I was pleased just to reach 4metres, but it would be good to know how long it is likely to take before I can expect to reach a good depth (at least 10 to 20metres) with the easy equalisation I have always been able to do. I'm not going for any records(!) but it will be nice to explore a greater range of depth again.
One last question: I had never suffered from sinus problems before this year, but this is my second sinus infection since christmas... I am fitter than anytime in the last few years, have quit smoking (March 2009), and my diet is also improving. The first infection was very different from the current one and I'm wondering whether this is a coincidence, or is it possible to become prone to sinus inections?
Thanks for any help or advice.
