what do you do for a clogged ear?

[divemama]

I went diving today and had some problems clearing my right ear which didn't seem to be a problem til I was on dry land for a few hours. Now I can't hear out of it. Or clear it. Does this sound familiar to anyone and if so, do you use any over the counter remedy or just wait it out?

Thanks in advance!

Britt

 

[JMD]

Britt,

I had a feeling once like my ear was stuffed and couldn't clear it turned out it was an accumulation of water that had accumulated in my ear and wouldn't drain.

I was able to by some over the counter swimmers ear medication at a local pharmacy which cleared it up right away. You put a couple of drops in each ear and it disolves the water, prevents itching and infection etc.

The stuff worked like liquid drano in my ears! Now I routinely use the medication after swimming.

However if your in any pain I would suggest you stop by and see a doctor before you put anything in your ears.

 

[DSV]

Hi Britt,

I have a chronic right ear problem. You can also try 1/3 white distilled viniger 1/3 rubbing alcohol 1/3 distilled water. This has worked quite well for problems from the outside of my ear. But it sounds like you have a similar problem with the inside of your ear as me. What happens is mucus from your sinuses gets pushed up into your eustachain tube and create a block. Then from the minute amounts of trapped air that reexpand behind it, it stress the eustachain tube (which swells partially closed) and the ear drum itself. That is why you have the loss of hearing and can't equalize. Be careful taking over the counter stuff especially if you plan on diving soon. I'd have a doc check it out.

DSV

 

[divemama]

Strange to think all that is going on inside my head... I've been scuba diving for 10 years and never had a problem. Now I freedive to 80ft. and it decides to turn on me! Perhaps this is because after the thermalcline, the water went down to 47 F?

Thanks for the advice.

Britt

 

[BladeRunner]

Hey Britt that's what you get for diving with Mike! LoL

He told me about your ear problem. sorry about that I don't have anything to help with the problem.

I hope to meet yeah when I come up in the spring to do some training with mike.
He's helped me out a lot when I was getting started, ask him about me.


Blade Out

 

[Jersey Jim]

Clogged Ear

Britt:

Sometimes when I descend, I get trapped air under my hood and in the ear. It stops me dead in my tracks at less than 10 feet! It is usually only in one ear when this happens. Once I flood my hood by pulling it away from my ears, I can go back down. But I imagine if I forced the dive, it may drive the air in deeper and not clear out so easily. Be sure to flood your ears entirely before descending. Some say a sudden temp change affects the ear, but this was on the warm surface when I experienced it, prior to descending. I once even turned my head sideways while underwater and heard the air under my hood shift and enter one ear. I was messed up so bad that I just ended the day right then.
This may or may not be what you are experiencing. Good luck at any rate.

Jim