[DazedandConfused254]

Hello friends at PC. My ears have always been a source of trouble for me so I need help.

One of my new favorite hobbies is diving, which I gladly took up on recent trips to Belize and the Honduras. But my most recent dives that I did in the Honduras wreaked havoc on my ear drums because I made the mistake of diving with the common cold, which is discouraged in diving. My ears drove me even more crazy when I made the flight home from that trip. I couldn't hear well for days and even when my ears were gummed up and painful, I couldn't open my ears, even when I tried all of the traditional methods of clearing out those tubes (yawning, gulping, gum, etc). As I plan to do some dives this summer, I need suggestions. How can I unstuff my ears when the usual techniques fail?

I also have another question about my perennially moist ear drums. No thanks to my allergies, my ear drums are normally much more moist and squishy to the touch than most. I guess its just the way it is when I spend a lot of time outdoors as an allergy sufferer, but I can never seem to go more than a day or two without cleaning my ear drums before gunk re-accumulates in my ears. How can I keep my ears cleaner and less squishy for longer?

[healingme4me]

I couldn't think of any good suggestions off the top of my head. I was cringing at the memory of ear discomfort on one of the legs of a trip the last time I flew and the idea of that happening underwater seems frightful.

I found this link, hope it helps.

https://www.entnet.org//content/earwax-and-care

when I get it what I tend to do is put my hand up to my ear, and hold it tight (and in), like I'm pressing a button on a remote control- but not letting go of it

it doesn't work just like that, it takes time, but it does work eventually.

good luck... I hate ear discomfort

another thing that helps me is facing the ear towards a cold area, or towards the outside

if it's windy even better

[DazedandConfused254]

Originally Posted by shattered sanity

when I get it what I tend to do is put my hand up to my ear, and hold it tight (and in), like I'm pressing a button on a remote control- but not letting go of it

it doesn't work just like that, it takes time, but it does work eventually.

good luck... I hate ear discomfort

Interesting suggestions, I'll try those in the future. Thanks so much!