Inner Ear Infection

clanger

After a few days of vertigo and feeling like crap, I have been advised by a Dr I have an inner ear infection and request any information you guys might have regarding this problem. The main question I need answering is, when can I dive again? I have a dive planed next week, is this to soon?

Thank you to anyone that can help.

broady

I had two inner ear infections last year, back to back.

According to my Doctor the difficulty is finding a medication that will work for you. With inner ear infections it can be a bit hit and miss with the available prescriptions apparently. That said I was given Gentamicin Gentisone ear drops which cleared me up in about a week.

I would leave it another week after it's cleared up before diving though, just to be sure. I wish I had - hence the back to back infections !!

Hope that helps

Graham

clanger

I am booked to dive the moldavia next week and you'll appreciate what a good wreck that is

RAL

Just remember it will be better to miss a great dive than to mess your inner ear up and miss all the dives thereafter.
What does your doctor say?

RAL

__________________
The sea does not care about you.

clanger

dr doesnt know, says it could be fine but most prob not. think i'll wait and see. Hopefuly as its the uk the dive will get blown out!

NEDIVER

I have had multiple ear infections in my life time (used to be prone) and you just need to account for inflammation and congestion (fluid in the canals). For fastest recovery be sure to be on Antibiotics as well as a steroid anti-inflammatory.

Rate of recovery and fluid viscosity is a personal matter and there can be no time line given (hence, why the Dr. says "he doesn't know"). Try to say off of any decongestant up to the time of dive. This will allow for the most fluid movement within the inner-ear. The day of dive I may want to consider a decongestant.

The real test is if you are able to "pop" your ears on the surface without problems or pain. If this is the case, I would most likely splash for a big trip I had planned. Any residual infection may flair up a week or so after due to bacteria in the water. However your antibiotics should still be working. If I had problems "popping" before a dive, I would abort.

*The above is personal experience, I am not a Doctor and am not recommending medical advice to another*

__________________
-Tom-

"slow is smooth, and smooth is fast" TM
"Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again, expecting different results" Albert Einstein

clanger

thanks Tom that was helpfull.

I can clear my ears now but i think i will wait and see how my body recovers before calling the dive.

Everyone jokes about rebreathers going wrong, my body goes wrong more often than the unit!

iain-hsm

Clanger.
Ask your doc about a product called generic Domeboro otic solution it’s £10 for 2oz bottle we use it our saturation chambers for ear infections works well and quick. Much better and prettier than the navy solution: meth crystals, boiling water and a rag over your head. Iain

Mdemon

Antibiotics for the inner ear and Locorten Vioform for the outer just in case. Ask for it straight away and don't let them fob you off as this can take weeks to clear up. Stress the urgency and the importance of the diving and don't take no for an answer.

Warm olive oil added a couple of times a day will soften any buildup of wax over a week or so and that will help the drops get where they need to get.

Hope it goes soon.

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a) "Carry adequate bailout"

b) "If in doubt, bail out"

c) "Always know your PO2"

If you find that hard, stick to crochet.

"Once the agenda-monkeys and perfect-worlders have moved on, perhaps we can do some diving?"

clanger

Thank you all for your swift replies