Pain in ear underwater

bowsandarrows

Hi guys, this isn't a medical question, just wondered if anybody has ever heard of this.

I'm determined to start swimming lessons soon.

I started some as a child, but stopped for various reasons. One was that while underwater in a pool, not very deep, I felt a bang in my right ear then I lost some hearing in it and it was painful for a few hours. It was gone the next day and things were fine so never had it looked into, silly I know.

Anyway, I've a huge fear of too much water going into my ear now. I'm reasonably sure nothing will happen, but I'm just wondering what this could have been? Could it have been pressure even if I wasn't so deep?

I've mentioned it to GPs at checkups and they can't see anything. Hearing is fine etc.

AngryHippie

Sounds like you may have perforated an ear-drum in your childhood. Was there any dizziness when it happened?

It is relatively easy to do it unfortunately, a 1m deep pool can be enough to pop one if its already got a problem with it (ear infection etc.)
Sometimes these heal up themselves without any major loss of hearing. although I'd be surprised if an ENT didn't find any scarring or sign of damage from it.

I wouldn't let it keep you out of the water forever. try the Valsalva technique, probably avoid hanging around at the bottom of the deep-end unless you have equalized the pressure.

Freedive Ireland

as hippie said its pretty standard and can be very painful but ye they heal up. You do need to do equalising like valsalva or fenzel same as if you were on an airplane even in relativly shallow water. I think a reg GP would spot scarring on the membrane but a visit to an ent would be a good ifea and get them to check out your eustachian tubes as these are what transport the air up to the middle ear to compensate/equalise. 99% everything is fine a small amount of people may have a sharper bend in their tubes or the cartilage they are made of could be harder and therefore make equalising "sticky" there are exercises that can help but get it checked out first.

bowsandarrows

Thank you guys! Very reassuring, but it's along the lines of what I was thinking myself. I should be getting back into the water this week!