Sinus Infection from Scuba

On the fourth day of a scuba diving course in the Caribbean - with
water going up my nose and down my throat etc. - I developed a severe
sinus blockage. I could breathe OK through my nose, so this wasn't a
cold.

However my ears started to ache and I couldn't equalise them. I also
had a feeling of being heavy headed. The local pharmacist gave me some
eardrops called Sofradex with a steroid. This seemed to have stopped
the infection and I no longer have earache, but even now nearly a week
afterwards my sinuses are still blocked and I now have a splitting
headache. Also I get little twinges of pain in the sinus region but in
random places. I'm also getting nosebleeds and bright yellow mucus
discharges.

Also I'm getting disturbed sleep with the weirdest of dreams and
nightmares.

This was all unexpected - but since I've never been diving before and I
didn't know what precautions to take. And the PADI Training Manual
remains silent on the issue.

Therefore please can someone tell me if there are any web sites on
sinus problems caused by recreational diving, and how to prevent them.

Many thanks - CJB.

Thank you for your replies and for the links. I guess this is due to
poor equalisation - but whilst the PADI Manual mentiones the importance
of this it is silent on the effects of not doing so properly. CJB.

chilly wrote:

> "CJB" <chrisjbrady03_nospam@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:1142352643.191171.256680@p10g2000cwp.googlegr oups.com...
>
>>On the fourth day of a scuba diving course in the Caribbean - with
>>water going up my nose and down my throat etc. - I developed a severe
>>sinus blockage. I could breathe OK through my nose, so this wasn't a
>>cold.
>>
>>However my ears started to ache and I couldn't equalise them. I also
>>had a feeling of being heavy headed. The local pharmacist gave me some
>>eardrops called Sofradex with a steroid. This seemed to have stopped
>>the infection and I no longer have earache, but even now nearly a week
>>afterwards my sinuses are still blocked and I now have a splitting
>>headache. Also I get little twinges of pain in the sinus region but in
>>random places. I'm also getting nosebleeds and bright yellow mucus
>>discharges.
>
>
> I hope you are headed for the doctor's office soon. You probaby have an
> inner ear infection

That's a bit far fetched.


as well as a sinus infection.

That's easy to see.
ENT, antibiotics, decongestants.

Matthias

"Matthias Voss" <spammat.voss@gmx.de> wrote in message
news:dv7572$gb7$00$1@news.t-online.com...
> chilly wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > I hope you are headed for the doctor's office soon. You probaby have an
> > inner ear infection
>
> That's a bit far fetched.

Why do you think so?

>
>
> as well as a sinus infection.
>
> That's easy to see.
> ENT, antibiotics, decongestants.

Right. He should see a doctor.

Instead of being diagnosed by either one of us here.

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:gkFRf.143885$B94.46919@pd7tw3no...
>
> "Matthias Voss" <spammat.voss@gmx.de> wrote in message
> news:dv7572$gb7$00$1@news.t-online.com...
> > chilly wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > I hope you are headed for the doctor's office soon. You probaby have
an
> > > inner ear infection
> >
> > That's a bit far fetched.
>
> Why do you think so?
>
> >
> >
> > as well as a sinus infection.
> >
> > That's easy to see.
> > ENT, antibiotics, decongestants.
>
> Right. He should see a doctor.
>
> Instead of being diagnosed by either one of us here.

But we're so much more qualified than any doctor he might find.

"Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:VzGRf.38654$_S7.9643@newssvr14.news.prodigy.c om...
>
> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
> news:gkFRf.143885$B94.46919@pd7tw3no...
> >
> > "Matthias Voss" <spammat.voss@gmx.de> wrote in message
> > news:dv7572$gb7$00$1@news.t-online.com...
> > > chilly wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I hope you are headed for the doctor's office soon. You probaby
have
> an
> > > > inner ear infection
> > >
> > > That's a bit far fetched.
> >
> > Why do you think so?
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > as well as a sinus infection.
> > >
> > > That's easy to see.
> > > ENT, antibiotics, decongestants.
> >
> > Right. He should see a doctor.
> >
> > Instead of being diagnosed by either one of us here.
>
> But we're so much more qualified than any doctor he might find.

There's a good chance. I just read that in another thread. But in the
meantime, let's see what Dr. Murray Grossan (E.N.T) has to say on the
subject:

Middle Ear Infection
Ear pain can come from the middle ear. This may be a regular middle ear
infection (otitis media.) Except for when the ear drum is bulging outward
severely, this type of infection is not especially painful. In children is
painful because pus builds up and bulges the ear drum. It may be caused by
blowing the nose too hard and forcing the nasal pus up the eustachian tube
into the middle ear cavity where the bacteria multiply. If there is heavy
phlegm or pus in the nose, using the pulsating sinus irrigator daily 5 days
before diving may prevent eustachian tube blockage.

Outer Ear Infection (External Otitis)
Ear pain, especially after several dives, is most commonly caused by an
irritation of the ear canal. The problem here is that once the canal starts
to swell, it is surrounded by bone and this acts like a pliers squeezing on
the sore ear canal. Generally pain here is 3x greater that the same swelling
on your hand or cheek. If the canal swells completely shut it is VERY
painful. Fortunately the severity of the pain doesn't mean it is more
serious, just that the swelling is in a tender sensitive area.
You can prevent outer ear pain by NEVER washing your ears with soap and
water. You need the wax in your ear to protect you from the ravages of
swimming and diving. Alcohol and peroxide both take away natural wax and
make one prone to outer ear infections. I advise my divers to always put
baby oil or olive oil in the ear canal before washing the hair and any
activity where soap or water can enter the canal. Because of the shape of
the ear canal, like a bent baby bottle, once the soap gets in there, you
cannot take it out and it just lays there and reduces wax and oil formation.

Treatment should be started at once. Do not put heat to the ear. The pain is
due to the swelling, so heat will cause it to swell more. Take an
antihistamine such as chlorpheniramine 4 milligrams (no prescription)4 times
a day. Proteolytic enzyme tablets are good for reducing swelling (Papaya
Enzyme) The doctor may elect to give an antibiotic. Ear drops such as
Cortispoin Otic Solution are good. If the canal is very painful and swollen
we generally put a wick or drain in. This allows the drainage to come out
and the medicine to go in. It is important to clear this type of condition
as quickly as possible because the longer the outer ear infection stays, the
more tendency to reoccur. Therefore you should stay out of the water until
clear. Once you have had this type of infection I advise my divers to take
an antihistamine the moment they feel this coming on. Do not take
antihistamine while diving. Any antihistamine can make you drowsy and add to
nitrogen narcosis -remember, every 33 feet is equal to one martini.

"chilly" wrote in message news:5HHRf.142927$H%4.90285@pd7tw2no...
> Treatment should be started at once. Do not put heat to the ear. The pain
is
> due to the swelling, so heat will cause it to swell more. Take an
> antihistamine such as chlorpheniramine 4 milligrams (no prescription)4
times
> a day. Proteolytic enzyme tablets are good for reducing swelling (Papaya
> Enzyme) The doctor may elect to give an antibiotic. Ear drops such as
> Cortispoin Otic Solution are good. If the canal is very painful and
swollen
> we generally put a wick or drain in. This allows the drainage to come out
> and the medicine to go in. It is important to clear this type of condition
> as quickly as possible because the longer the outer ear infection stays,
the
> more tendency to reoccur.

I've had a couple of ear infections over the years... It doesn't take much
of a treatment to cure it with the drops that I was perscribed quite a few
years ago... They expired 6 years ago, but still work great... The bottle
says "neomycin and polymyxin B sulfacts and hydrocortisone"... 4 drops in
the affected ear each night with a bit of cotton ball as a plug... Try to
sleep with that ear "up" as much as possible... After a couple of nights,
it's better... One bottle is in a saline solution, the other in a glycerine
solution...

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:5HHRf.142927$H%4.90285@pd7tw2no...
>
> "Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:VzGRf.38654$_S7.9643@newssvr14.news.prodigy.c om...
> >
> > "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
> > news:gkFRf.143885$B94.46919@pd7tw3no...
> > >
> > > "Matthias Voss" <spammat.voss@gmx.de> wrote in message
> > > news:dv7572$gb7$00$1@news.t-online.com...
> > > > chilly wrote:
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I hope you are headed for the doctor's office soon. You probaby
> have
> > an
> > > > > inner ear infection
> > > >
> > > > That's a bit far fetched.
> > >
> > > Why do you think so?
> > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > as well as a sinus infection.
> > > >
> > > > That's easy to see.
> > > > ENT, antibiotics, decongestants.
> > >
> > > Right. He should see a doctor.
> > >
> > > Instead of being diagnosed by either one of us here.
> >
> > But we're so much more qualified than any doctor he might find.
>
> There's a good chance. I just read that in another thread. But in the
> meantime, let's see what Dr. Murray Grossan (E.N.T) has to say on the
> subject:

My opinion* is that his best course of action is to go to Jamaica for a week
and smoke as much pot as possible. Yeah, that should make him feel better.


*please note: my opinion on this matter is mostly worthless.

"Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:VzGRf.38654$_S7.9643@newssvr14.news.prodigy.c om...
>
> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
> news:gkFRf.143885$B94.46919@pd7tw3no...
>>
>> "Matthias Voss" <spammat.voss@gmx.de> wrote in message
>> news:dv7572$gb7$00$1@news.t-online.com...
>> > chilly wrote:
>> >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > I hope you are headed for the doctor's office soon. You probaby have
> an
>> > > inner ear infection
>> >
>> > That's a bit far fetched.
>>
>> Why do you think so?
>>
>> >
>> >
>> > as well as a sinus infection.
>> >
>> > That's easy to see.
>> > ENT, antibiotics, decongestants.
>>
>> Right. He should see a doctor.
>>
>> Instead of being diagnosed by either one of us here.
>
> But we're so much more qualified than any doctor he might find.
>
>
Now that's fuckin funny. See what I mean Bob? Don't force your humor.

chilly wrote:

>>
>>>"Matthias Voss" <spammat.voss@gmx.de> wrote in message
>>>news:dv7572$gb7$00$1@news.t-online.com...
>>>
>>>>chilly wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>I hope you are headed for the doctor's office soon. You probaby
>
> have
>
>>an
>>
>>>>>inner ear infection
>>>>
>>>>That's a bit far fetched.
>>>
>>>Why do you think so?

See below. Inner ear is not he same as middle ear.

Matthias




> There's a good chance. I just read that in another thread. But in the
> meantime, let's see what Dr. Murray Grossan (E.N.T) has to say on the
> subject:
>
> Middle Ear Infection
> Ear pain can come from the middle ear. This may be a regular middle ear
> infection (otitis media.) Except for when the ear drum is bulging outward
> severely, this type of infection is not especially painful. In children is
> painful because pus builds up and bulges the ear drum. It may be caused by
> blowing the nose too hard and forcing the nasal pus up the eustachian tube
> into the middle ear cavity where the bacteria multiply. If there is heavy
> phlegm or pus in the nose, using the pulsating sinus irrigator daily 5 days
> before diving may prevent eustachian tube blockage.
>
> Outer Ear Infection (External Otitis)
> Ear pain, especially after several dives, is most commonly caused by an
> irritation of the ear canal. The problem here is that once the canal starts
> to swell, it is surrounded by bone and this acts like a pliers squeezing on
> the sore ear canal. Generally pain here is 3x greater that the same swelling
> on your hand or cheek. If the canal swells completely shut it is VERY
> painful. Fortunately the severity of the pain doesn't mean it is more
> serious, just that the swelling is in a tender sensitive area.
> You can prevent outer ear pain by NEVER washing your ears with soap and
> water. You need the wax in your ear to protect you from the ravages of
> swimming and diving. Alcohol and peroxide both take away natural wax and
> make one prone to outer ear infections. I advise my divers to always put
> baby oil or olive oil in the ear canal before washing the hair and any
> activity where soap or water can enter the canal. Because of the shape of
> the ear canal, like a bent baby bottle, once the soap gets in there, you
> cannot take it out and it just lays there and reduces wax and oil formation.
>
> Treatment should be started at once. Do not put heat to the ear. The pain is
> due to the swelling, so heat will cause it to swell more. Take an
> antihistamine such as chlorpheniramine 4 milligrams (no prescription)4 times
> a day. Proteolytic enzyme tablets are good for reducing swelling (Papaya
> Enzyme) The doctor may elect to give an antibiotic. Ear drops such as
> Cortispoin Otic Solution are good. If the canal is very painful and swollen
> we generally put a wick or drain in. This allows the drainage to come out
> and the medicine to go in. It is important to clear this type of condition
> as quickly as possible because the longer the outer ear infection stays, the
> more tendency to reoccur. Therefore you should stay out of the water until
> clear. Once you have had this type of infection I advise my divers to take
> an antihistamine the moment they feel this coming on. Do not take
> antihistamine while diving. Any antihistamine can make you drowsy and add to
> nitrogen narcosis -remember, every 33 feet is equal to one martini.
>
>
>
>
>
>