Dear Jungletribe72…I can relate to the excitement experienced by every newbies in scuba diving. Dudes…every dive are an awesome adventure. However, having difficulties to equalize upon decent should not be taken lightly.
I would like to share my recent traumatic escapade with equalization problem…similar happening with Quero student.
It all started with my plan to dive in January, but last December I was struck down with a really bad fever & flu, primarily due to a combination of too much work with lack of sleep & exercise. I consumed some strong medication in order to get well asap. I rested well with a lot of sleep & exercise which cleared up the flu…2 weeks prior to departure. I went for a quick dive prior to the trip to test my new equipment, which was when I realize I experienced difficulty to equalize my right ear upon my slow decent. What I did next was I pinch my nose & ‘forced’ to equalize…it worked.
Everything went well as planned until I arrived at my destination. I experienced the same difficulties to equalize but continued to ‘force’ equalize. Although I manage to do all the dives with some discomfort, I braved myself by playing down the symptoms. With that said, I ended up with an acute inflammation of my right ear where the outer ear canal totally constrict that I ended up unable to hear with my right ear. For the rest of the trip I was medicated with clarinase & antibiotics which helped to reduce the flam & swelling, respectively.
Within a week upon my return on dry land, I ‘felt’ that I have recovered as I was able to hear clearly. Subsequently I went on diving in February and March. It aggravated my situation to which resulted in an acute middle ear infection…it was my bad doing.
Recently I saw an ENT specialist/surgeon who diagnose the problem as ‘serious’, immediately did a minor surgical procedure where he had to perforate by piercing a hole thru the muscle holding the ear drum. The procedure took 2 hrs to clean up the infection in the middle ear. For the next 2 weeks I was on ‘heavy’ medication especially antibiotics, ”sofadex” – eye/ear drops, and “iliadin” – decongestant nasal drops. I’m glad that I had the minor surgery early as it save me from an outcome of being deaf with a likelihood of never diving again.
During my last check up my ENT specialist/surgeon, he has determined the root cause of my problem… I do have a history of coming down with a mild fever resulting in sinus complication which subsequently the minute residual flam worked its way to clog up my middle ear as a result of ‘force’ equalize. This situation can also happen whilst flying and not necessary related to diving only.
Bottom line…the moral of the story is
a) Make sure you understand your current ‘health’ limitations, and be in a good state of health prior to embarking on your dive trips
b) Be prepared by bringing along nasal spray and/or pill popping nasal medication (Clarinase, Mucosolvan, etc.) which is actually a temporary solution.
c) Equalize at surface prior to decent. Don’t force to equalize upon decent. Try other ‘natural’ approaches (swallow your saliva, wiggle your jaw, etc.) to equalize.
d) If equalizing problem persists, do check with an ENT specialist if you have a history of sinus related problems and take corrective measures.
e) Lastly, If possible get a medical doctor as your dive buddy. I did and married to one.
Here’s wishing all MUWians a happy and safe diving.
