Ear Injuries and Damage Caused by Scuba Diving
Ear Damage is the Most Common Physiological Injury for Scuba Divers
Nov 7, 2009
Damage to a scuba diver’s ears can be anything from an annoying case of swimmer’s ear or can be so significant the injury could result in permanent hearing loss.
Scuba Diving and Middle Ear Barotrauma
Trauma to the middle ear is one of the most common scuba diving injuries. It is called Barotitis Media and is usually caused by a middle ear squeeze.
If pressure in the middle ear is not equalised on descent, the body tries to equalise the inner ear by forcing fluid and blood into the middle ear cavity. This fluid is an attempt by the body to fill the inner ear cavity to reduce the pressure.
Middle ear barotrauma feels like a fullness in the ear. Hearing may be muffled, or there may even be complete hearing loss in the ear.
A scuba diver who believes they may have suffered middle ear barotrauma (Barotitis Media) during a scuba should seek treatment from a doctor.
Rupture of the Ear Drum During Scuba Diving
The ear drum is the thin membrane between the out ear canal and the middle ear. Its medical term is the tympanic membrane.
The ear drum prevents water and other foreign objects from getting into the middle ear.
The eardrum can rupture due to a scuba diver not equalising the ears on the descent. The difference in pressure across the eardrum on descent forces it to bulge inwards until eventually it will rupture. This lets water into the middle ear.
Symptoms of a ruptured eardrum while scuba diving are:
- A reduction in hearing;
- A ringing sound in the ear;
- After the ascent, there may be a bloody discharge from the ear.
Inner Ear Barotrauma While Scuba Diving
An inner ear barotrauma occurs when a scuba diver over equalises their ears on descent. Excessive Valsalva technique puts excessive force on the tiny membrane between the middle ear and the inner ear. These are called the round and oval windows.
Symptoms are vertigo, nausea, loss of hearing or a ringing sound in the ear.
This is the most serious ear injury to occur during scuba diving and can lead to permanent hearing loss in the ear. Medical attention should be obtained as soon as possible if a scuba diver suspects they may have suffered an inner ear barotrauma.
Swimmer’s Ear and Scuba Diving
Swimmer’s ear, or Otitis Externa, is an infection of the outer ear and ear canal. It is usually associated with the ears being wet and bacteria growing in the dark, damp ear canal.
For more information on Swimmer’s ear, refer to Suite101 Article: Causes and Prevention of Swimmer’s Ear.
Preventing Ear Injuries While Scuba Diving
A scuba diver should be aware of the high risk of injury to the ears from scuba diving. The main ways in which a scuba diver can prevent ear injuries while scuba diving are:
- don’t do a forceful Valsalva technique to clear the ears;
- if having trouble equalising on the descent, rise a few metres;
- avoid diving with a cold or any illness that results in the ear being congested;
If a scuba diver can’t equalise their ears, then they shouldn't scuba dive.
Damage to the ears from scuba diving can result in permanent hearing loss. Therefore it is wise for scuba divers to care for their ears and be well aware of the risks to the ears from the impact of pressure during scuba diving.
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