Learning the hard way

You guys were right. I just got back from the ENT and it looks like that
dive to the bottom of the pool did damage my ear (just a little blood in
there). But, he solved the original problem by removing some hair up
against my eardrum. Wonder why my MD didn't see it?

Anyway, the ENT is a diver, and said I should take my scuba lessons as
scheduled and have a great time. "You'll love it."

He also told me that the injury I had is very common among divers, but much
more prevalent among snorkelers. He claimed it's hard to clear your ears
when you have no air to do it with. His method of preventing problems like
this is to keep rising a little bit every time you descend. I guess this is
the theory that you should be clearing all the way down BEFORE you feel any
discomfort.

When I asked him if he wanted to check to see if I could clear without any
problems (look at my eardrums while I try and equalize) he said, "Nah.
You'll be fine."

Anyway, whoever told me when I felt that pain it was too late was right.
And, like my ENT said, "Let this be a lesson to you."

Thanks all.

Sheldon

On Mar 29, 5:13 pm, "Sheldon" <shel...@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:
> You guys were right. I just got back from the ENT and it looks like that
> dive to the bottom of the pool did damage my ear (just a little blood in
> there). But, he solved the original problem by removing some hair up
> against my eardrum. Wonder why my MD didn't see it?

You have hairy ears? No wonder. Hairy ears is an absolute
contraindication to scuba diving, at least as a stroke. No way to be
properly handsome unless you wax. Ear wax doesn't count.

> Anyway, the ENT is a diver, and said I should take my scuba lessons as
> scheduled and have a great time. "You'll love it."

Sure, so he can make the big bucks off you when you rupture something
major. Keep a good lawyer on retainer, that's my only advice.

> He also told me that the injury I had is very common among divers, but much
> more prevalent among snorkelers. He claimed it's hard to clear your ears
> when you have no air to do it with. His method of preventing problems like
> this is to keep rising a little bit every time you descend. I guess this is
> the theory that you should be clearing all the way down BEFORE you feel any
> discomfort.

Some even advocate clearing at the surface, before you even start.
It's at least a good way to know if your tubes are clear before you
start the descent. Me, I chew and swallow my way through breakfast,
monitoring my ears closer than I monitor my coffee, trying to figure
if I can make it through the day without my drugs or not. I stayed
drug-free in Bonaire until the last day, when I was coming down with
the cold that Janna had at the beginning of the week. One more reason
for solo diving. Anyway, Sudafed kept me OK until the fourth and last
dive of the day and trip, the notorious Town Pier, where I subjected
my poor tubes to lots of up and down in the 0-20' range where it sucks
the most. Dive accomplished, but I couldn't hear right until just the
other day.

You want to preserve your ears? Take up golf. Otherwise, take a good
ASL class and enjoy your diving with the rest of us. Hint: listen to
all those old records you love while you still can.

What? Oh, sorry, I thought I heard you say something.

"Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote in message
news:1175216453.844067.273490@o5g2000hsb.googlegro ups.com...
> On Mar 29, 5:13 pm, "Sheldon" <shel...@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:
>> You guys were right. I just got back from the ENT and it looks like that
>> dive to the bottom of the pool did damage my ear (just a little blood in
>> there). But, he solved the original problem by removing some hair up
>> against my eardrum. Wonder why my MD didn't see it?
>
> You have hairy ears? No wonder. Hairy ears is an absolute
> contraindication to scuba diving, at least as a stroke. No way to be
> properly handsome unless you wax. Ear wax doesn't count.

I asked if the hair was growing next to my eardrum and he said no, it just
somehow worked it's way in there.

>
>> Anyway, the ENT is a diver, and said I should take my scuba lessons as
>> scheduled and have a great time. "You'll love it."
>
> Sure, so he can make the big bucks off you when you rupture something
> major. Keep a good lawyer on retainer, that's my only advice.

Interesting theory, but I seriously doubt it. Still, I do have a good
lawyer.

>
>> He also told me that the injury I had is very common among divers, but
>> much
>> more prevalent among snorkelers. He claimed it's hard to clear your ears
>> when you have no air to do it with. His method of preventing problems
>> like
>> this is to keep rising a little bit every time you descend. I guess this
>> is
>> the theory that you should be clearing all the way down BEFORE you feel
>> any
>> discomfort.
>
> Some even advocate clearing at the surface, before you even start.
> It's at least a good way to know if your tubes are clear before you
> start the descent.

I've heard that's a very good idea.

>Anyway, Sudafed kept me OK until the fourth and last
> dive of the day and trip, the notorious Town Pier, where I subjected
> my poor tubes to lots of up and down in the 0-20' range where it sucks
> the most. Dive accomplished, but I couldn't hear right until just the
> other day.

He recommends Afrin right before diving. Another ENT on the Net, who's also
a diver, recommends Afrin. This doc even had a handout for divers and gave
me one.

>
> You want to preserve your ears? Take up golf. Otherwise, take a good
> ASL class and enjoy your diving with the rest of us. Hint: listen to
> all those old records you love while you still can.

Well, I hear ya, or maybe I don't. I do value my hearing and will be extra
careful from now on.

On Mar 29, 6:38 pm, "Sheldon" <shel...@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:

> I asked if the hair was growing next to my eardrum and he said no, it just
> somehow worked it's way in there.

Somehow, I bet. Have you been abducted by aliens lately? The "hair
in the eardrum" is a common way to disguise alien worm-seed implants.

> Interesting theory, but I seriously doubt it. Still, I do have a good
> lawyer.

Your mountain country-boy lawyer will be no match against the aliens.
I'd find a good immigration lawyer if I were you.

> I've heard that's a very good idea.

Some advocate against it, believing that it overly stresses the tubes
and they might not last as long as you really need them. A good rule
of thumb is to avoid inhaling boat engine exhaust, no matter how good
it might smell. The tubes hate it.

> He recommends Afrin right before diving. Another ENT on the Net, who's also
> a diver, recommends Afrin. This doc even had a handout for divers and gave
> me one.

The problem with Afrin is the rebound effect. Once you take it, you
gotta have more. Each and every morning you wake up post-Afrin, you
will have to remedicate. On a long dive trip/liveaboard, your nasal
passages could eventually get inflamed. My ENT gave me Nasonex to
squirt in once the Afrin starts to hurt after a few days. I never had
to use it, probably because my halcyon cocaine days left my nose numb
to minor aches and pains, but it does seem to work on those really bad
allergy days that aren't fazed by mere Claritin.

Oh, shit, did my spell-checker substitute "cocaine"? I meant
"cooking". Lots of exposure to raw chopped onions have kept my
nostrils strong. I did try snorting Vivarin when I was a lot
younger. I don't recommend it.

> Well, I hear ya, or maybe I don't. I do value my hearing and will be extra
> careful from now on.

What?

"Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote in message
news:1175221910.088321.265780@l77g2000hsb.googlegr oups.com...
> On Mar 29, 6:38 pm, "Sheldon" <shel...@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:
>
>> I asked if the hair was growing next to my eardrum and he said no, it
>> just
>> somehow worked it's way in there.
>
> Somehow, I bet. Have you been abducted by aliens lately? The "hair
> in the eardrum" is a common way to disguise alien worm-seed implants.
>
>> Interesting theory, but I seriously doubt it. Still, I do have a good
>> lawyer.
>
> Your mountain country-boy lawyer will be no match against the aliens.
> I'd find a good immigration lawyer if I were you.
>
>> I've heard that's a very good idea.
>
> Some advocate against it, believing that it overly stresses the tubes
> and they might not last as long as you really need them. A good rule
> of thumb is to avoid inhaling boat engine exhaust, no matter how good
> it might smell. The tubes hate it.
>
>> He recommends Afrin right before diving. Another ENT on the Net, who's
>> also
>> a diver, recommends Afrin. This doc even had a handout for divers and
>> gave
>> me one.
>
> The problem with Afrin is the rebound effect. Once you take it, you
> gotta have more. Each and every morning you wake up post-Afrin, you
> will have to remedicate. On a long dive trip/liveaboard, your nasal
> passages could eventually get inflamed. My ENT gave me Nasonex to
> squirt in once the Afrin starts to hurt after a few days. I never had
> to use it, probably because my halcyon cocaine days left my nose numb
> to minor aches and pains, but it does seem to work on those really bad
> allergy days that aren't fazed by mere Claritin.

One problem with Nosonex is that it can cause the mucus to get thicker which
may cause a problem for equalisation. Flushing out with salty water is very
effective esp. if a bit of bicarb is added.

"Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote in message
news:1175221910.088321.265780@l77g2000hsb.googlegr oups.com...
> On Mar 29, 6:38 pm, "Sheldon" <shel...@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:
>
>> I asked if the hair was growing next to my eardrum and he said no, it
>> just
>> somehow worked it's way in there.
>
> Somehow, I bet. Have you been abducted by aliens lately? The "hair
> in the eardrum" is a common way to disguise alien worm-seed implants.

I was reading about that in The Enquirer.

>
>> Interesting theory, but I seriously doubt it. Still, I do have a good
>> lawyer.
>
> Your mountain country-boy lawyer will be no match against the aliens.
> I'd find a good immigration lawyer if I were you.

Agreed.

>
>> I've heard that's a very good idea.
>
> Some advocate against it, believing that it overly stresses the tubes
> and they might not last as long as you really need them. A good rule
> of thumb is to avoid inhaling boat engine exhaust, no matter how good
> it might smell. The tubes hate it.

Damn, you're taking all the fun out of diving.

>
>> He recommends Afrin right before diving. Another ENT on the Net, who's
>> also
>> a diver, recommends Afrin. This doc even had a handout for divers and
>> gave
>> me one.
>
> The problem with Afrin is the rebound effect. Once you take it, you
> gotta have more. Each and every morning you wake up post-Afrin, you
> will have to remedicate. On a long dive trip/liveaboard, your nasal
> passages could eventually get inflamed. My ENT gave me Nasonex to
> squirt in once the Afrin starts to hurt after a few days. I never had
> to use it, probably because my halcyon cocaine days left my nose numb
> to minor aches and pains, but it does seem to work on those really bad
> allergy days that aren't fazed by mere Claritin.

Seriously, I've been addicted to Afrin and I quit cold turkey, and no, I
don't want a medal. But I still use it when I have a cold and when it's
over I'm fine. I am aware of the rebound effects of Afrin, but thanks for
pointing that out. Others may not be.

>
> Oh, shit, did my spell-checker substitute "cocaine"? I meant
> "cooking". Lots of exposure to raw chopped onions have kept my
> nostrils strong. I did try snorting Vivarin when I was a lot
> younger. I don't recommend it.
>
>> Well, I hear ya, or maybe I don't. I do value my hearing and will be
>> extra
>> careful from now on.
>
> What?

Well, when you're down there you use hand signals, and right now we're
communicating without speaking. I did go to one too many rock concerts when
I was a kid, so I'm more than aware of the value of hearing well. So far so
good.
>

On Mar 29, 7:38 pm, "dechucka" <dechu...@vomithotmail.com> wrote:

> One problem with Nosonex is that it can cause the mucus to get thicker which
> may cause a problem for equalisation. Flushing out with salty water is very
> effective esp. if a bit of bicarb is added.-

Yeah, one of my original instructors said he like to snort a bit of
sea water if he were having problems clearing. I've tried it several
times now, and I can't say whether it works or not.

I sometimes bring a bottle of Papaya/Pineapple enzyme chewable tablets
with me, purchased cheap enough at the local Trader Joe's (a west-
coast based chain of nifty natural food & booze stores), but a certain
chair of the Biochemistry Department of Stanford Medical School
scoffed at the idea that they might have an effect on loosing ear
mucus, embarrassing Janna who was otherwise taking them on my fond
recommendation. They have a nice tart taste, in any case, and I doubt
they can hurt.

Murray Grossan, a ENT based out of the hospital where I was born,
makes his own (or used to, at least) brand of enzyme pills with the
same desired result, called Clear-Eze or something like that. Murray
used to post here, but it's been a while. One day I might pay him for
an office consult.

Chair of Biochemestry at one of the most prestigious medical schools
in the world, versus a successful ENT at a Jewish hospital in Beverly
Hills, who knows who's right? Meanwhile the chewables are $5 or so
for 100, and they do taste good.

The other thing I've heard is that dairy products increase mucus
formation. I've toyed with the idea of avoiding cheeseburgers for
lunch or cheese omelets at breakfast, but I've never been that gung-
ho, especially not when Sudafed and Afrin are readily at hand.

"Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote in message
news:1175222928.641554.88950@d57g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
> On Mar 29, 7:38 pm, "dechucka" <dechu...@vomithotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> One problem with Nosonex is that it can cause the mucus to get thicker
>> which
>> may cause a problem for equalisation. Flushing out with salty water is
>> very
>> effective esp. if a bit of bicarb is added.-
>
> Yeah, one of my original instructors said he like to snort a bit of
> sea water if he were having problems clearing. I've tried it several
> times now, and I can't say whether it works or not.
>
> I sometimes bring a bottle of Papaya/Pineapple enzyme chewable tablets
> with me, purchased cheap enough at the local Trader Joe's (a west-
> coast based chain of nifty natural food & booze stores), but a certain
> chair of the Biochemistry Department of Stanford Medical School
> scoffed at the idea that they might have an effect on loosing ear
> mucus, embarrassing Janna who was otherwise taking them on my fond
> recommendation. They have a nice tart taste, in any case, and I doubt
> they can hurt.
>
> Murray Grossan, a ENT based out of the hospital where I was born,
> makes his own (or used to, at least) brand of enzyme pills with the
> same desired result, called Clear-Eze or something like that. Murray
> used to post here, but it's been a while. One day I might pay him for
> an office consult.
>
> Chair of Biochemestry at one of the most prestigious medical schools
> in the world, versus a successful ENT at a Jewish hospital in Beverly
> Hills, who knows who's right? Meanwhile the chewables are $5 or so
> for 100, and they do taste good.
>
> The other thing I've heard is that dairy products increase mucus
> formation. I've toyed with the idea of avoiding cheeseburgers for
> lunch or cheese omelets at breakfast, but I've never been that gung-
> ho, especially not when Sudafed and Afrin are readily at hand.

I must admit I don't like the idea of taking medication to help clear my
ears. I find that if I equalise early and often than I rarely get problems.

Never heard of these enzyme tablets, might have a look on the web

Sheldon wrote:
> He recommends Afrin right before diving. Another ENT on the Net, who's also
> a diver, recommends Afrin. This doc even had a handout for divers and gave
> me one.

Very addicting stuff... Stay away from it...

"Grumman-581" <grumman581@DIE-SPAMMER-SCUM-gmail.com> wrote in message
news:460c80c2$0$5797$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> Sheldon wrote:
>> He recommends Afrin right before diving. Another ENT on the Net, who's
>> also a diver, recommends Afrin. This doc even had a handout for divers
>> and gave me one.
>
> Very addicting stuff... Stay away from it...

As I said in a previous post, I'm well aware of it. Thanks for the heads
up.