Aaarrrggghhhh!!!!!!

[stewbie]

Who designed the middle ear????

Had a bit of an ear infection for the past 10 days or so. Typical bloke - no Dr until I got real pain, tinnitus and slight hearing loss.

Went to Docs today - Grand-daddy of all ear infections, penicillin and possible....

PERFORATED EARDRUM!!!

Told the (two) docs that I had no probs with equalisation, and was told it can happen naturally as a result of gunk buildup in the ear following infection.

Mrs Stewbie was seriously sympathetic - "I told you to go to the doctors a week ago. that'll teach you to listen to me."

All I can think is that I was supposed to go to Plymouth next Wednesday - and still got the Sharm diving holiday in about 5 weeks!!

Going back next Monday for them to have a look, see if the gunk has cleared and they'll confirm the worse.

Proear mask here I come.

AR*E

[John N]

I had an ear infection a while back - probably from teaching in a scummy school pool.

Got to the Doc's as soon as possible. She wasn't going to do anything about it until I told her I was a diver at which point she offered me antibiotics as infections can cause perforated ear-drum.

I didn't take them in the end 'cos I think antibiotics are over-used and wouldn't necessarily help (depending on the problem) but nice to have the option.

Hope it turns out OK for you - you will probably be fine for Sharm even if it is a more serious problem.

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by stewbie

Who designed the middle ear????

No one. It is the result of millions of years evolution. Sadly for all of us this did not include the ability to breath underwater. In fact it is a miracle (well not really as there is no such thing) we can dive at all. The ear is an organ of balance and a hearing device. Only an idiot would submerge it.

So mate, I can only say I hope it clears up soon so you can enjoy that wierdest of all activities - scuba diving.

Chill out and let nature do its thing. Then you can destroy the environment and fly to Egypt.......

(My ears work but we have no sea - swop???)

ATB M8

Chris

[Fiji Dave]

Originally Posted by stewbie

Mrs Stewbie was seriously sympathetic - "I told you to go to the doctors a week ago. that'll teach you to listen to me."

Just tell her you couldn't hear her because of the ear infection

So it's her fault for not shouting loud enough!

seriously though, hope it clears up for your holiday, my advice would be to stay out of the water as much as possible before then. Infections love a nice warm, damp environment and the ear canal is perfect for it. Keep out of the water and keep up the antibiotics.

all the best

[Paul Oliver]

I'd never had an ear problem until i over did it trying to clear them to get onto the Anderman off Dover late last year, since then i have had loads of problems i used to be very aggressive clearing them but not now.

What i do now is squirt some Ear Calm in anytime i get the start of a problem, it usually works wonders well worth keeping some in your dive bag.

I am saying this with caution as i have painful ears now and i fly out to Croatia for a weeks diving next Monday

[Jen]

I was in double figures with ear infections last year. It was a repeated cycle of the infection leaving behind gunk that led to the next infection.

My doc advised twisting the corner of a soft tissue and gently placing in the ear so it would wick out the gunk. It didn't work.

What did work however was Hopi ear candles. Which is smoldering hollow wax tube placed against the outer ear, an upward current is generated by the heat so it draws out anything that wants to move. Loads of gunk came out and I haven't had an infection since. It was done at a beauty clinic and cost just around £15 with a shoulder massage thrown in.

Wouldn't recommend this if you have a perforated drum however.

EDIT: Called Hopi not Hoki and here's a link http://www.metta.org.uk/therap/ear_candles.htm