Barotrauma

[jjf 0]

So I've just done my first week skydiving. Got through AFF, and now a few jumps into B-rels. Was a fucking awesome experience and can't wait to do more!

It seems though, that I've come home with Barotrauma, or so the doctor tells me. My ears have been blocked and mildly hurting ever since my second last day jumping (4 days ago).

I've learnt more about it from the web and searching older posts here. A question I'm still wondering about though, has anyone (through skydiving) ever had it as a recurring problem? Or is it something you seem to adapt to?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Jack

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

I have to carefully clear my ears promptly after every jump. If I don't.... I have full ears for days. However, if I take care of them PROMPTLY...I can jump all day without trouble. Unless I have an upper respiratory infection, I find decongestants to be of no help with my ears when skydiving.

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[skydiverek 63]

I clear them right after opening. That way, I do not travel thru all the air mass (= to the ground), before clearing them.

[virgin-burner 1]

i've had the same thing happen to me like in the first two years of skyjumping.. gets better with time it seems..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[Beerlight 0]

+1

[Beachbum 0]

I've had that problem since the beginning, mostly with my right ear. Every now and then the other does it. I had to stop scuba years back because I could no longer equalize that ear most dives, but it never entered my mind when I was about to start jumping ... LOL! I get a fluid buildup in there after 1 - 3 jumps, and have to stop. It stinks, and makes you accumulate jumps very slowly, but I love it enough to keep at it anyway. Mine usually takes until thursday or so to get better after a saturday of jumping. To answer the questions I know someone will ask, yes, tried all the over-the-counter stuff, some prescription stuff, let them CT scan my sinuses, and even stick little tiny video cameras up my nose. I belive what I really need is the equivalent of a stent in my eustachion tube to hold it open better. I joyfully discovered that I can do CRW and it doesn't cause me a problem!

I agree with the comments about trying to clear it asap. I have even made a point to remember to try to do it some while in freefall. It's hard for me to tell if it really helps though, since as I mentioned, the problem itself isn't consistent. Best of luck with it!

As long as you are happy with yourself ... who cares what the rest of the world thinks?

[Coreefdiver 0]

I've only had a barotrauma incident once, and that was while diving.. "mask squeeze"... didn't even know or feel it.. but others sure could see it in my eyes!

DS#727, DB Cooper #41, POPS #11065, SCR #13183, FA #2125, SCS #8306, HALO #309 SRA #5930

[Airviking 0]

I perforated an eardrum once, skydiving with a sinus infection. Some pain, but healed itself in a couple of weeks.

On both of my recurrency jumps last fall, I had to equalize in FF. The pain was just too great. But I think that for me, equalization becomes a non-issue with more frequent skydives.

I believe you have my stapler.

[PiLFy 3]

You did fourteen jumps in one week? It takes time for your Eustachian tubes to adjust to skydiving's demands. It sounds like you just did too much, too soon. My first jump. My ears were clogged for almost a week afterward. They quickly began clearing much faster. Had I done fourteen jumps in a week. I'm sure I would have had problems, too. Give it time.

[jjf 0]

Thanks for the responses so far.

Quote

You did fourteen jumps in one week? It takes time for your Eustachian tubes to adjust to skydiving's demands. It sounds like you just did too much, too soon. My first jump. My ears were clogged for almost a week afterward. They quickly began clearing much faster. Had I done fourteen jumps in a week. I'm sure I would have had problems, too. Give it time.

Yeah I figured I'll just give it time and see what happens. Hopefully I do adjust.

Quote

I have to carefully clear my ears promptly after every jump. If I don't.... I have full ears for days. However, if I take care of them PROMPTLY...I can jump all day without trouble. Unless I have an upper respiratory infection, I find decongestants to be of no help with my ears when skydiving.

Sounds like a good idea, I'll keep that in mind