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Old 04-06-2014, 05:18 PM   #1
Florida boy
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has this happened to anyone?

I blew my ear drum yesterday while sitting at hospital. I had insane pressure build up after diving and kept getting worse. So i tried over the counter-eat drops. It made ot it worse and clogged my ear so i coouldnt hear. So i thought maybe i had wax build up.. So pressure kept getting worse and pain was insane the throbbing. Then it starts slowly leaking fluid out of my ear. For 2hrs. I was like how could i have that much fluid? So I went to hospital and as im sitting it literally started leaking blood. The doctor looked. Said theirs wax. Then looked deoper and saw a hole in ear drum. Gave me anti-biotic ear drops abd pain killers. He said maybe a week until healed but have to see a doctor before I dive.

So my questions to you guys, do you know how long it takes for fluid and ear to un-clog so i can actually hear? Its been leaking for a day now but still clogged? Also how long until I can dive? Just curious if you or any close friends have been through this. Thanks guys. Ill b3 gooing back to doctor next week to see what he thinks. Meanwhile I wanted to see people with similiar experiences have to say.
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Old 04-06-2014, 05:28 PM   #2
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

Knew a guy years ago that blew out his eardrum from a reverse squeeze during an ascent. If memory serves me. he was out of diving for about 2 months.

Like anything else, it varies a lot from case to case. How bad the tear or hole is would be a main factor. How well you personally heal would be another.

Don't push it, let it heal fully before putting it under pressure again. A little patience now will surely pay off in the future. You def don't want to tear it again or to severely impact your hearing.

Good Luck.
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Old 04-06-2014, 05:39 PM   #3
stevemc1
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

Sounds like you had an inner ear infection. They should have given you oral antibiotics. They should have swabbed and tested for bacteria type, such as MRSA. Do call and ask about that. If they didnt get back in. Like Headhunter said, wait until you are fully healed and then some, you could ruin your hearing if going too soon. I had a broken hand once (well many times) and had a full cast on my right hand for the whole summer. Bummer, but it is fine. Ears you dont want to mess with.
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Old 04-06-2014, 07:26 PM   #4
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

If you ripped a hole in your typmatic membrane you could heal up in a matter of weeks to months. With so much fluid coming out of your ear you have a bad infection possibly worsened by seawater during your reverse squeeze. There are tons of different bacteria and other creepy things in seawater that can make an open wound go from just a scratch to life threatening in no time. Your ear is nothing to mess with. If not taken care of properly you can possibly ruin your chance of dive again. IF you start to experience crazy vertigo go back to the doctor; a little vertigo is to be expected since your balance is in your ears.

Make sure you are getting the right antibiotics. Talk to a doctor who knows about diving and/or treats lots fishermen in the area. Fishermen or people surrounded by fish slime and seawater get some really funky stuff normal "land" people do not get. All the fishermen in my area go to the same doctor because he knows what crazy infections we get and knows how to treat them. Seawater does some weird stuff you your immune system. I have gone to other doctors on convenience and got prescribed antibiotics that just didn't do it for me.

On another note since you have done this now you are more prone to get seasick or motion sickness since your balance is in your ears. After your fully heal up and go for the first boat ride don't make it an all day thing because if you start getting sick is could be a very long miserable day for you. Good luck with your ear and don't go diving with stuffed up sinuses or push your accent if you feel pressure.
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Old 04-06-2014, 07:51 PM   #5
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

Thanks everyone!
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Old 04-06-2014, 10:52 PM   #6
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

I haven't put a hole in my eardrum before, but have had a few ear infections and wax blockage (sometimes at the same time).

The most recent case took a week or so to start feeling better, with oral and ear drop antibiotics. I couldn't hear out of the ear and it was pretty sore for the time it took to get better.

Like everyone else said, don't screw around and do any diving until you're back to 100% or you could screw yourself up permanently.

For the past couple of months, since the last infection, I've been using straight rubbing alcohol drops in my ears after diving too. It burns a tiny bit, but is supposed to help dry up / evaporate any remaining water in the ears.

And use peroxide / Debrox and a warm water rinse once every couple of months to clean the out wax out of your ears.

Good luck bro, heal fast - need you back in action.
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Old 04-07-2014, 03:01 AM   #7
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

In general the ear heals fairly quick, especially with the help of antibiotics. I've had a eardrum busted before, it made my ear bleed and fluid leak out later as well. After going to the doctor and getting medication, I think it look me about 2 weeks to be able to hear correctly and about 3 weeks to a month to feel comfortable diving and equalizing. But don't push yourself, if it hurts, then get out of the water.
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Old 04-07-2014, 03:06 AM   #8
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

I ruptured my ear drum back in June or July. I did my best to keep my ear out of the saltwater and had regular check ups. I was back to diving in about four weeks. I had drainage from my ear for about 2 weeks. I had to sleep with paper towels under my ear or I would wake up in the morning to a yellow pillow case. Ever since then though, I take sudafed before each dive and I can hands-free equalize now. Take the ear drops and give it time to heal.
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Old 04-07-2014, 06:48 AM   #9
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

I would take Sudafed 12hr every morning to help your middle ear drain and dry out.

And if you have allergies/rhinitis, I'd use nasocort nasal spray too, it's over the counter now.

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Old 04-07-2014, 03:48 PM   #10
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kalvinc View Post
I ruptured my ear drum back in June or July. I did my best to keep my ear out of the saltwater and had regular check ups. I was back to diving in about four weeks. I had drainage from my ear for about 2 weeks. I had to sleep with paper towels under my ear or I would wake up in the morning to a yellow pillow case. Ever since then though, I take sudafed before each dive and I can hands-free equalize now. Take the ear drops and give it time to heal.
Yes sir, every morning I wake up and pillow case is covered with blood and yellow fluid. Also 3 days before that dive ear was sore, so I started amoxicillin, and Sudafed as a caution. I guess it was already to late?
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Old 04-07-2014, 03:49 PM   #11
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

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Originally Posted by cldomson1 View Post
I would take Sudafed 12hr every morning to help your middle ear drain and dry out.

And if you have allergies/rhinitis, I'd use nasocort nasal spray too, it's over the counter now.

C
Thanks man, yes I bee doing this to help relieve pressure.
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Old 04-07-2014, 07:51 PM   #12
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

Chew gum a lot this next week, it helps move your Eustacian tube and drains the fluid.
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Old 04-07-2014, 10:14 PM   #13
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

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Thanks man, yes I bee doing this to help relieve pressure.
Get the kind from the behind pharmacist not the over the counter kind too. That and antibiotics should work.
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Old 04-07-2014, 10:56 PM   #14
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Re: has this happened to anyone?

Thanks again guys!
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Old 04-08-2014, 08:40 PM   #15
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Sudafed discontinued

I was told last week at the pharmacy that they are discontinuing Sudafed production, supposedly their reformulating it so the tweekers cant use it for making drugs !
the P.E. version dosent work well for me ,so I've been buying the real stuff as I can find it, but most places didn't have any 6 or 12 hr, most were out of the allergy meds that have Sudafed in it !

F@#$*!G tweekers messing it up for everyone that actually needs it !!
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