http://www.midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk Dive Medicine - information for divers on different diving medicine subjects: marine animal hazards, the bends, Cardiovascular System and scuba diving, Central Nervous System and the scuba diver, Drugs and Diving, Easy Equalization for scuba divers, Eye Problems for scuba divers, women and scuba diving, Fitness and Diving, Gastrointestinal Problems and scuba diving, trauma and orthopaedic problems for scuba divers, Respiratory Problems and scuba diving. en-us webmaster@e-med.co.uk http://www.midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/ldc_logo_new_small.jpg http://www.midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk 100 50 I was born with a cleft lip and palate. I also have a hole in my nasal septum, and have had for around 4 years now. Being totally honest, I used to do cocaine and speed to excess in my London city life. Luckily I saw the light and moved on, and although I... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=164 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:05:48 +0000 Being honest, I’m one of those annoying on-off social smokers who’s always scabbing cigarettes off people at parties and never buys their own. Normally I go out on Thursdays and don’t smoke Friday so it clears my system before I dive on the weekend. This ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=44 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:07:47 +0000 My husband and I are both keen divers and our daughter is showing an interest already, even though she’s only 5. She’s been quite unlucky with ear infections though, and the ENT doctors are recommending she has grommets to stop her getting them so often. ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=148 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:06:35 +0000 My boyfriend wants me to do a dive course, but I’ve always been too scared of hurting my ears to try. Too many painful childhood ear infections I think. I’ve read about lots of different ways to equalise, but what is the best one for a frightened beginner... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=44 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:18:45 +0000 On a trip to Thailand last summer my buddy had a case of terrible dizziness which has put her off diving completely. She was just recovering from a cold when we dived, had a bit of trouble descending but got down to 20 m okay. The dive was fine but on the... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=42 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:18:16 +0000 I’ve heard a lot about “reverse squeeze” but what does this term mean exactly? It sounds awful and I’d like to know how to avoid ever experiencing it if possible. http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=42 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:17:13 +0000 I had to cut short a diving holiday to Mozambique recently because of an ear problem. I tried to push through a sticky ear situation and it got so painful I had to abort the dive and come up from about 4 metres. Luckily there was a trained ENT doctor on t... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=42 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:16:47 +0000 I know you must get asked this a lot, but is there any reliable way to get my ears to equalise on every dive? Sometimes it works easily for me, but quite often (I’d say every 2 or 3 dives) I get a blocked ear and can’t get it to clear. It’s annoying being... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=44 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:16:03 +0000 I’ve heard from some friends that earplugs can help stop infections and make equalising easier, but when I mentioned this to another friend who is a GP, she thought it sounded like a bad idea. What’s your view? http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=41 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:04:22 +0000 I was doing my Open Water course last week. I had trouble equalising on my first dive and had to push really hard to pop my ears. At about three metres, I suddenly got dizzy. Everything was whirling around so I came up quickly. It seemed to settle on its... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=43 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:03:49 +0000 Over the last year I’ve been working my way around the Pacific as a dive instructor. I thought I’d be immune to most waterborne diseases by now but I seem to get ear infections more than most. After a few days of diving my ears get itchy and painful and I... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=41 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:03:12 +0000 I have been having problems with what I think is Vertigo. Every time I dive in cold water I feel nauseous and last weekend I was violently sick during and after both of my dives. It didn't happen abroad (when the visibility was good and I was not wearing ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=43 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:58:36 +0000 I am congenitally deaf in both ears and was lucky enough to be the recipient of a cochlear implant when I was 3 years old. I’m now 24 and have been wondering for the last few months whether there is any chance of ever going diving. My ears are fine when I... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=43 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:29:36 +0000 I’ve recently taken up diving and went to get myself checked over with a doc to be on the safe side. Lucky I did. She told me she couldn’t see my eardrums with her telescope. I thought she was talking about wax (I’ve always been a waxy man) but she said t... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=41 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:11:43 +0000 Recently on a dive holiday in Mexico I experienced some strange symptoms that I wanted to run by you. I did 6 dives over 3 days. My 5th dive was to about 30 metres for about 30 minutes, nothing unusual in the profile, but at the safety stop I had a dull a... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=45 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:03:02 +0000 I have just returned from a trip to Sharm, where one of our group had some sinus congestion at the beginning of the trip. They used Sudafed on the first day, and all was well, but when this was mentioned in conversation at the dive centre they (the dive c... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=45 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 11:41:16 +0000 I was told to contact you by my local diving school before undertaking their PADI diving course. I have never dived before, but I would very much like to during my stay in the Maldives this April.My issue is with vertigo, I developed this back... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=43 Wed, 26 Sep 2007 12:29:00 +0100 I was doing my Rescue Diver class recently and on descent of about 3-4 metres I felt a sharp pinch over my left eye. I went up then tried again and the pain was much less. We only went to about 6.5 meters for a bottom time of 15 minutes. On surfacing I ha... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=45 Wed, 26 Sep 2007 02:47:15 +0100 I was wondering if you could advise me as to whether I should have a dive medical. I did a lot of diving about 2 and a half years ago and didn't have any probs. However, I've since had problems with my ears popping when flying (it took m... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=44 Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:46:18 +0100 In February I went to a local diving centre to start scuba diving. Whilst there I had to fill in a medical questionnaire form and on it I put a yes down for problems with ears. I was initially diagnosed with Meniere's disease about 10 year... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=151 Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:10:36 +0100 I had a grommet inserted in my ear last July and was wondering if it is safe to dive with it still in. Are the pro-ear masks any use in this situation? http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=148 Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:45:20 +0100 I am a dive master candidate in Mabul Island, Malaysia. I burst my eardrum with a pin hole on the left in June. I equalized too hard in about 3 metres. However, there wasn't any pain, not till to the evening it started to ache. So, I put on some eard... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=100 Fri, 22 Jun 2007 16:55:17 +0100 Hi I am not sure you can help but reading your replies to other people I figure it is worth asking you. I am currently training to be a Navy Clearance diver in Australia. I am pretty sure the Royal Navy has similar teams. Anyway, I have huge issues wit... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=44 Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:44:07 +0100 I have been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and have been using a CPAP machine for 2 yrs. I am an open water diver and have never had a problem whilst diving. I have declared this on my insurance previously and had no queries, but have recently be... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=46 Fri, 02 Mar 2007 12:13:25 +0000 I'm waiting for a Cochlear Implant. Will I still be able to go diving with the implant? If this is possible is there a time scale once I've had the operation to begin diving again, and is there a depth limit? Currently I don't dive beyond 30 metres. I ha... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=43 Fri, 02 Mar 2007 12:09:14 +0000 I have problems equalising on descent - and it is always the same ear. But when it does equalise it pops and then sort of whistles and crackles. I can tell whether I am ascending or descending purely by the feel of the pressure (and noise) on my ear - is ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=42 Fri, 20 Oct 2006 10:20:50 +0100 I got this email address from the magazine "Sport Diver". I'm actually Belgian, but dive in Tenerife (on vacations) via an English dive centre (they gave me this address). The problem is the following:Last year in Tenerife I dove again after not... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=44 Fri, 30 Sep 2005 10:34:55 +0100 I went on a dive and when I came up after an hour I had a hissing in my ear and have about 10% hearing. I have seen two specialists here in Oman but nobody seems to know what the problem is. http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=42 Fri, 30 Sep 2005 10:26:12 +0100 I am going on a diving holiday in 3 weeks. Have dived previously (not for 8 years though) and always had problems with my ears/equalizing. Someone suggested I get my ears syringed by the nurse before I go to remove all the wax. Would this be wise? I do al... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=41 Fri, 30 Sep 2005 10:16:41 +0100 US Navy Divers use Demeboro Otic(contains 2% acetic acid) drops before and after diving to prevent otitis externa. This product is not available in the UK. Do you know of an equivalent? http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=41 Fri, 30 Sep 2005 10:05:34 +0100 I have been given your e-mail by Kitty at Dive Solutions, she suggested you might be able to give me some advice. I want to do an open water referral course in March, but have been suffering from (mild) chronic sinusitis. I have been referred to an ENT sp... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=45 Thu, 29 Sep 2005 04:03:51 +0100 I wonder if you could give some advice, I am due to start a PADI course in Thailand next Tuesday however have unfortunately managed to get a cold which started yesterday as a sore throat which has now gone but left a blocked up nose. Do you think by next ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=46 Thu, 29 Sep 2005 03:21:09 +0100 My father and I attended the PADI open-sea course last summer in Cyprus. I passed the theory and pool exercises with flying colours (even beat my dad!) but found I could not equalise during the open sea dives and abandoned at about 3 metres and failed the... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=148 Wed, 28 Sep 2005 11:07:17 +0100 Dear doctor, could you be so kind and tell me what is maximal allowed hearing loss to pass HSE diver exam. I am commercial diver, and I work and live in Croatia. I am thinking to take enroll HSE diving school and obtain HSE certification. After the war I... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=42 Wed, 29 Jun 2005 12:47:52 +0100 Hi there, I hope you can answer my question as I am going to the red sea on sat, all very last minute and had a grommet fitted in my ear about 6 mths ago as my ear kept popping. It is better now and when I had a check up the nurse said that sh... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=148 Wed, 29 Jun 2005 12:03:27 +0100 I am a PADI advanced diver with about 50 dives under my belt.Nearly 5 months ago I perforated my right ear drum by sticking a cotton bud in too far. I've been to see the ENT specialist. He told me not to get it wet for 4 months, which I have d... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=100 Wed, 18 May 2005 12:44:57 +0100 Last February I collapsed at home and was rushed to hospital. I was diagnosed as suffering bacterial meningitis and septicaemia and have spent the last 6 months or so off work recuperating. The illness itself was apparently triggered by a severe infection... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=47 Wed, 18 May 2005 03:26:48 +0100 For the past 9 months I have had problems with pressure in my ears (popping/squeaking/squelching), tinnitus and difficulties with my balance. I have visited an ENT specialist on 3 occasions and recently had an MRI scan (which was clear). He has diagnosed ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=42 Wed, 18 May 2005 03:22:45 +0100 I have been given your email address by Norwich Scuba Centre.My 15yr old son has been advised by Bupa, that due to bad ear drum scarring caused by ear infections when he was young, and 3 sets of grommets, he should not scuba dive.N... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=148 Wed, 18 May 2005 03:16:03 +0100 I am Rescue Diver qualified, I have been diving for about six years, if I do not dive for a few months, on return of my diving I develop an infection in my left ear, I have had an ear problem for five weeks, I have visited my own doctor four times and he ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=41 Wed, 18 May 2005 01:07:30 +0100 A patient has approached me asking for a medical to go diving whilst on holiday. 3 years ago he had ligation of his external carotid artery as an emergency following severe left sided epistaxis. Is this a contra-indication to diving (either relative or ab... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=47 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Has there been any research into the long term effects of scuba diving on hearing? As a sound engineer by trade, this is something that concerns me when I go diving. Apart from a couple of cases of Otitis Externa after diving holidays I've never had any e... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=42 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 About 3 weeks ago I had a problem with my right ear, went to the doc and he put me on otosporin ear-drops and all was well in 3-4 days. I have now just experienced the same problem, not as serve in my other ear, again went on the drops. The doc has said I... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=41 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 I became partially deaf as a result of the german measles at the age of eleven. I have been diving for the last two years and as yet had no effect on my hearing. Is it possible if I continue to dive my hearing may worsen?I intend doing my divi... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=43 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 I recently started an open water PADI course and have completed two pool sessions. Upon filling in my medical form it was apparent that I had to tell the dive master that I had a mastoidectomy thirteen years ago. He suggested I consult a G.P. who referred... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=42 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 I wonder if you would be kind enough to advise on what to me is an apparently simple question, but may very well not be. Recently from an acquaintance I understood the following: a young woman, very good swimmer, qualified lifeguard at municipal swimming ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=43 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 I have one question to ask the Doctor - Why do new divers, especially those who have equalization problems, tend to experience nose bleeds? Is there any way to avoid this? Are there any likely complications that may arise if the new diver were to make a r... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=47 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 I have just come back from a dive holiday in Thailand where between the 15th and the 19th of Jan I was on a live-aboard Boat trip around the Similan islands, we did 13 dives in 4 days, 4 dives per day for 3 days, then 1 dive on the morning of the last day... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=44 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 For some time now I have been trying to pluck up the courage to learn to dive. In October last year my partner (an experienced SAA dive leader) and myself went to the Red Sea for two weeks and, whilst there, I finally managed to do a PADI "Discover Scuba ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=43 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 I have a quick question for you. Is it generally permissible to use Beconase nasal spray prior to (days and immediately before) a dive - in this case, a PADI Advanced Course dive to approx. 18metres this coming weekend. Has it been shown to affect your su... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=47 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100