Perforated eardrum while scuba diving?

Question

I have perforated both of my eardrums ( on two seperate dives)....I have had no problem equalising in the pool dives but as soon as I get to the open water dives I seem to have a problem. I don't know if it is the cold or the hood that is causing the problem.

Has anyone else had this problem and have you been able to overcome it as I would really like to take up diving as I have a great time when I am not hurting my ears :)

Answer 1

Chances are, from what you're describing, it'll be the hood. As you drop, it can tend to compress against your ears and seal. This makes further equalizing difficult, if not impossible. All you need to do is just stick a finger under the hood's skirt by your ears to let a little water in and equalize the pressure, then equalize as normal.

On the flip side, a rupture can happen  by inadequate equalizing even if you've vented your hood. You should wait until the membranes have properly healed before continuing any more diving though and see an ENT. There may be an underlying medical condition that even with proper equalizing techniques, could predispose you to these ruptures.

Answer 2

The reason you have no problems in the pool are directly related to the shallow depth. Pressure increases by 14.7 psi with each 33 feet of depth.  I would consult my doctor before doing any more scuba. You could suffer permanent damage to your ears.

As one dives they must constantly clear their air spaces as they go down. If you reach a depth where it doesn't work go back up and slowly try again. This can be done by holding the nose and gently blowing back through the sinus' or wiggling your jaws.

Most of the time this will be  a problem if you suffer with sinus problems.

Answer 3

I sometimes find that if my left ear won't equalise tilting my head to the right and stretching my neck as i hold my nose and gently blow through my nose helps.

If the problem is with your hood you could try making a small hole in the top which would allow a small amount of water in - this would prevent air from getting trapped and prevent you from equalising.

As the other guy said though - I would get your ears checked by a doctor before trying again, better to be safe than sorry.

Answer 4

If you have really perforated an eardrum, or have any continuous pain in your ears, you are out of the water until you get clearance from a physician to dive again.

Speak to your instructor about the problem.

Steve (PADI Divemaster)