Ear pressure problem?

[Pickle]

Almost every time I go to some place tropical and enjoy snorkeling, I end up suffering from terrible pain in my ears on the plane back home. I do have a pressure problem in my ears (the reason I cannot scuba dive) and have figured out that snorkeling, my ears being exposed to seawater, is the cause of the pain. It seems to mess up my inner ear and balance, which also causes me dizziness and nausea for several days after I get home. Does anyone have the same kind of problem? If you do, how do you deal with it?

For prevention I guess I can wear earplugs while snorkeling to keep the seawater out of my ears but I never do. I like to be able to hear my husband calling me when he sees something exciting in the water. Calling each other is a fun part of snorkeling for us.
To deal with the pain I take a decongestion pill and Tylenol about an hour before landing. I still get the pain, though, in my ears, head, and teeth! The descending period of 20 - 25 minutes on the plane is the worst part of my St. John vacation.
Then, after I get home, I just patiently wait for the dizziness and the nausea to disappear in several days.

By now I realize that this is a part of my vacation to St. John. It only affects me starting with the plane trip back home. I am as happy as I can be and have no pain/dizziness while on the island.

Although I gladly endure those unpleasant symptoms for St. John, I just wonder if anyone has the same/similar problem and how they personally deal with it. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

[liamsaunt]

Sounds like you develop a sinus problem over the course of your trip. Have you tried putting swimmers ear in both of your ears as soon as you get out of the water? That helps John a lot, prevention-wise. Also, sudafed, the kind you have to sign for, not the PE kind, taken about an hour before your flight might help.

[DCphoto]

I just flew back from the Bahamas last week with a cold and my ears were killing me on the flight back home and didn't clear up for a couple of days. Years ago I was on a navy plane on assignment going out to a aircraft carrier, the pilot drop very quickly and I devoloped severe pain in my eye. The doctors told me when ever flying use a sudefed at least a day before flying also if you have a chance to tell the pilot about pressure they sometimes take it easy coming down. I guess that only applies to smaller planes where you can talk to the pilot. I dread flying because of this. If there is any other suggestions I would love to hear from you as well.

[sapphirecat]

Hi Pickle,

I had this problem for years. I even went to see the world's top otolaryngologist (his patients were the Blue Angels). He saw nothing.

I wouldn't be in pain on the plane, but after the very first dive I'd start to feel the pressure and it would get progressively harder to clear. Yes, at least I was diving.

Two years ago I suddenly developed a terrible pain on descent to STT (it's not as if I hadn't taken a plane just 30 days before). I thought I had a sinus infection. So, I called my dentist for anti-biotics. I also bought an over-the-counter pain reliever. I forget which he said I should get out of the big names. They're all slightly different.

Anyway, then the pain really started and I couldn't eat and a cold drink would have me writhing. Imagine this -- on vacation! I started searching for a dentist in STT on Friday after Thanksgiving (good luck). I got someone on Monday or Tuesday; he had all the equipment and... after taking a look scheduled me for a root canal.

Very long story short -- my ear was fine, it was my slowly rotting tooth that was hurting all those years. X-rays didn't reveal it, since the crack was nearly invisible.

Pressure affects a tooth with a crack and get into the spaces in the gum where juicy roots should be.

Advice: go see your dentist. At least clear up this possible avenue. Maybe I'll see you on that dive boat!

Best,

Cat

[sapphirecat]

Also, Pickle!

My Husband has some of your symptoms as well. His teeth are fine. But he had a hole in his ear drum. This was patched up about 10 years ago. The surgery is very refined now.

Even if you didn't snorkel, etc., you should have this done for it will lead to infections if you don't get the hole closed.

The nausea is probably from water getting into your middle ear or inner ear. Not a good thing.

Persist. The hole may be very small, and "around the corner" as his doc said.

Cat

[Pickle]

liamsaunt,
No, I don't put anything in my ears after snorkeling. What exactly is it that John put in his ears? Is it actually called swimmers ear?


I have to take a decongestion pill every time I fly ever since I had a rough plane ride back from Kauai 10 years ago. The pain was unbearable (!!!) in my ears, head, teeth, and (yes, DCphoto) in my eyes too. I could not hear well for a few days so I went to see an otolaryngologist. Although she found a mild bleed in my ears, everything else was fine. Of course, I hear very well now - it was only temporary.
I used to have a prescription for a strong decongestant but the medicine was discontinued. I take over-the-counter Sudafed now, but it seems to help so little. I better try the kind of Sudafed liamsaunt mentioned.


DCphoto,
I dread flying too. I generally have pain every time I fly but the flight back from St. John is particularly painful. What can I do? - I love St. John!

Sapphirecat,
I will mention about the problem to my dentist and see what he thinks. I am due for my yearly check-up anyway.


Thank you so much everyone for your help.

[Pia]

I had swimmers ear when I lived in Hawaii - it was possibly the worst pain I have ever had - couldn't stand, walk, sleep etc.

When it was all cleared up I was told to always make sure I dry my ears after swimming and showering. I know you can't dry them after swimming, but when you get back to your villa and after you take your shower, make sure you dry your ears with a hairdryer (this was what the Dr told me to use) - I know it's a pain as you will probably have to take a hairdryer with you, but Brookstone sells a fabulous "mini" travel hairdryer that folds in half and weighs virtually nothing.

Good luck

Pia

[DCphoto]

I wonder if it has to do with the humity on the islands and then getting on the plane with dry pumped in air. Come to think about it, it only happens when I go to the Islands or the ocean. Your the only person I know that said they had eye pain. The flight surgeon I talked to on the ship said it is very rare and if I were trying to be a pilot I would be grounded because of it. Also, if you can get a flight attendant to give you a hot steamy wash cloth to put over your ears it might work. Someone else told me that trick but have not used it.

[St. John Lover]

Boy, is this a post that I can relate to. I had the same problem and it seemed to get worse & worse over the years. About 8 years ago, after a trip to St. John, my ears got plugged up on descent & though I took tons of prescriptions, it literally took MONTHS for me to hear ok again (for months on end it was like right before your ears crackle open when you're descending--I felt like I was in a fog with cotton balls stuffed in my ears for a LONG time). So bad, I thought I could never fly again--cause much as I LOVE to travel, I couldn't keep doing it if the trade-off was months & months of discomfort.

Well, I stumbled across these things called "ear planes." If they ever stop making them, I'm SOL. They're little plugs you put in your ears when flying that have this little spiral tube inside with what looks like a little ball & it equalized your ear pressure for you the whole time you're flying. Basically what normal ears are supposed to do but ears on people like us don't do! I'm SO thankful for these things--they really do the trick. I've never had any problems at all since I've found them. I pair will last you 2 descents. I always keep stocked up on them. They're available at drug stores.

PS: I also use swimear everytime I swim, dive, or snorkel (afterwards--it's basically alcohol which dries all the moisture out of your ear canals--you can also buy the cheaper "auro-dry" which is exactly the same thing. I also take sudafed before I fly--it keeps my sinuses from getting clogged up which is my tendency but, unfortunately, also tends to increase your blood pressure. Basically, pick your poison. But seriously, try the earplanes--you'll be overjoyed.

[Splasher54]

Both my husband and daughter have problems with their ears and water. They use ear plugs and auro drops to dry them. We also invested in a little ear dryer for our last trip to St. John. It is like a little hair dryer that blows for 80 seconds ( I think) and then you can run it again if they are not dry. It worked great, no problems. The ear dryer was a little exoensive (I think around $80) but well worth it. I found it at Leisure sports, the same place I bought my dry snorkels.

[sapphirecat]

This sounds really interesting, Splasher. Can you use it at the end of the day, or do you have to use it as soon as you come out of the water?

cat

[Splasher54]

We used it at the end of the day, but you could use it anytime I suppose. We tend to spend the whole day in the water, so it's more effective at the end. It is nice and compact so it's easy to travel with. http://www.leisurepro.com/Catalog.aspx?Op=dtSearch is one of the websites I found it on. Although the price seems higher than I paid, but you can look at it and then research prices. Good luck

[daffy2]

Hi Pickle,

We just got back from St. John last night. We almost cancelled this trip due to ear problems that I have been having similar to yours for the last four months. I was afraid of problems on the plane but had none when using the Sudaphed (not PE). There is a big difference between the two. Also don't forget to chew gum starting about 45 minutes before the plane land.

One of the things I did this week was take a small bottle with a dripper full of alcohol which will unclog your ear pretty quick on the beach. Just a few drops will usually dry the ear. When I got off the beach, I used a 50/50 alcohol vinegar solution which will kill any bacteria or fungus. But if you have a rupture in your eardrum this will sting and you will also be able to taste the alcohol and vinegar. I had a small rupture that the doctors couldn't see but was diagnosed because I could taste the medications they were giving me.

One final note. Check your shampoo and conditioner. Last spring I changed to an organic brand with a very thick conditioner. When I was in St. John this week I decided to use the brand that the villa supplied and noticed that my ears improved greatly. Not sure but I think that the thickness of the conditioner along with the fact that maybe there was not enough chemicals to keep bacteria from growing may have been much of the problem.

I was able to snorkel and swim by the end of the week with no problems. Up to this point I couldn't even take a shower without having my ears clog and the nausea you describe. It can take up to a month to have an ear rupture heal. Best thing to do is keep them as dry as possible. Earplugs that insert can actually cause more problems as they can cause little cuts in the ear. Use the kind that stay on the outside that are more like silly putty. some are much better than others. You have to try a few brands,

I'm finally starting to feel better. Hope this helps.

Good luck!