when your body is telling you to stay out of the water.

[Squirrel Girl]

Wish me luck.

Luck!!

[Shocky]

Being retired Army, I can say with a fairly high degree of assurance, your ears have taken a beating. I don't know how old you are but mine didn't bother me until late 30's. You need to get to an ENT guy ASAP. Where do you live? I've got a very good one down here in South FL that dives. Don't end up like me.
John

[adam0321]

I am a 28 year old grunt. So in Marine Corps years I think that makes me around 56. So after many years a CQB, and demo, not to mention combat and diving. I am sure my ears are bad. I have the doc sending me to an ent. I cant wait to "hear" what he says.

[Greenwood_60]

Haha thanks for the encouragement. I saw the doc today and they were afraid at first it was iedcs. But now they are leaning towards a sinus problem. They said my sinus were clogged up. I have an ent consult for next week. Till then they have me on sudafed and amoxacilian. Wish me luck.

Good luck! I have an outer ear issue at the moment. Came on the morning of the first day of Cavern! I dived 5 straight days before starting class. I have been treating it with copious amount of vitamin C, and treating my ears with hydrogen peroxide followed by some 95% alcohol drops to try them out. Pain is gone, but it still pops and cracks when I yawn or swallow. I was having to clear my ears every 6" or so for the 4 days of class. Never had any trouble clearing them, but the pain from the unbalanced pressure was intense (giant strides sucked!).

[loquat149]

I saw the posts last week about people getting ear infections at Peacock, so we made sure last weekend to hit the ear beer after every dive. However, your treatment for the infection sounds a bit harsh.

[adam0321]

I dont think mine is an ear infection as much as it is a sinus thing. The docs said my ears looked good. But said my sinus cavity was backed up. Intresting to know that they told me sinus infections can last as long as 9 months

[icestac]

I dont think mine is an ear infection as much as it is a sinus thing. The docs said my ears looked good. But said my sinus cavity was backed up. Intresting to know that they told me sinus infections can last as long as 9 months

My buddy Sam has been on a bit of a hiatus due to sinus issues. He had a few reverse squeeze issues and ended up not being able to clear his ears on descent for a few trips. Pretty serious stuff.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Greenwood_60]

I saw the posts last week about people getting ear infections at Peacock, so we made sure last weekend to hit the ear beer after every dive. However, your treatment for the infection sounds a bit harsh.

I think antibiotics would be a harsh treatment. Since it's outer ear, I can get at it topically. Peroxide works great. Although I wish I had some in my dive box for when I felt it coming on. I started treatment too late, it took a few days of >5000mg of Vitamin C to get the swelling down enough to get drops or peroxide to penetrate. My outer ear was swollen shut. It's been opened back to normal for the last 3 or 4 days, but feels like it's still plugged to some degree. The first few treatments with peroxide actually foamed to the point of overflowing my ear and running down my face! You should have seen the look on Giselle's face.

[adam0321]

Something is working because now I have a feeling of fullness behind my nose. I hate this....I have two weeks off work and cant dive..

[harmstrong]

If no one has suggested this yet- go to Walgreens and get a NeilMed Sinus Rinse kit. It's a plastic squirt bottle with packets of salt to mix up a saline sinus rinse. Do it in the shower, especially the first few times- it's disgusting as hell, but it will help both with the congestion and with rinsing the crud out of your sinuses.