# Proplugs for Inner Ear Issues?



## LawyerBoaterGuy (Aug 21, 2008)

A question about inner ear problems. First, about me--I used to dive a pretty good amount before kids (early 90s) and now that my oldest son got certified, I have started diving again. Forgot how much I enjoyed it. Two weekends ago, he and I did a couple of dives, one on 3 barges and one on Tex E. First dive I cleared my ears fine. Second dive, I experienced a barotrauma in one ear at about 25 feet. Got to bottom but was experiencing so much vertigo (due to H2O inside ear drum), I had to head back to surface. This caused me to remember the same thing happening to me in the 90's a few times. Whenever it happened, it was always one ear and it usually ruptured around 20-30 feet. So here's my question. I researched online for something to use to keep this from happening. I saw the ear "cups" that are integrated into a mask but that seemed like too much. Then I saw the Doc's Proplugs. Has anyone used these things for the type of inner ear problem I am having? Man, I would hate not to be able to continue diving with my son. Anything else out there that might help?


----------



## Markray82 (Jul 16, 2013)

I free dive but a guys scuba dove with us a couple weeks back. He was about to give up diving because of his issues with ears until he got some ear plugs. He said they are like check valves and that worked to keep the water out of his.


----------



## Markray82 (Jul 16, 2013)

He bought them from down under dive shop in gulf shores but I can't remember the name of the plugs I can probably find out.


----------



## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

I bought some of Doc's plugs and they worked well for me. However, even though Doc fitted them himself at a dive show, mine did not fit well and irritated my ears too much to wear. There are a number of shapes they come in to fit different ear layouts. One size does not fit all.

They worked so well, when I could tolerate the fit, that I am looking for a similar solution.

I can avoid my ear problems completely by descending slowly. I do this when I dive with my kids and I do not have pain afterwards. However, when I am tying the anchor line off, or in a hurry to get to the bottom for some reason, I pay for it the rest of the week.


----------



## AndyS (Nov 22, 2011)

LawyerBoaterGuy said:


> A question about inner ear problems. First, about me--I used to dive a pretty good amount before kids (early 90s) and now that my oldest son got certified, I have started diving again. Forgot how much I enjoyed it. Two weekends ago, he and I did a couple of dives, one on 3 barges and one on Tex E. First dive I cleared my ears fine. Second dive, I experienced a barotrauma in one ear at about 25 feet. Got to bottom but was experiencing so much vertigo (due to H2O inside ear drum), I had to head back to surface. This caused me to remember the same thing happening to me in the 90's a few times. Whenever it happened, it was always one ear and it usually ruptured around 20-30 feet. So here's my question. I researched online for something to use to keep this from happening. I saw the ear "cups" that are integrated into a mask but that seemed like too much. Then I saw the Doc's Proplugs. Has anyone used these things for the type of inner ear problem I am having? Man, I would hate not to be able to continue diving with my son. Anything else out there that might help?


I have a ProEar Mask with the earcups. http://www.proear2000.com/

I bought it to dive with a ruptured eardrum a couple years ago but only used it once. Seemed to work okay. Has a broken clip on the strap but that should be a minor repair. My eardrum is healed now and don't need it - PM me if you want to try it out.


----------



## LawyerBoaterGuy (Aug 21, 2008)

Thanks, Gentlemen, for all of your comments. I think I am going to try (after my ear drum heals) the Proplugs and see if they do the trick. If not, I'll break down and buy the mask with cups and see if that works. Hell, maybe I'll do both! I also plan to slow my descent rate down considerably. I get on the anchor line, get all excited to get to the bottom and probably go too fast as a result. Again, I appreciate your comments and suggestions.


----------



## AndyS (Nov 22, 2011)

LawyerBoaterGuy said:


> Thanks, Gentlemen, for all of your comments. I think I am going to try (after my ear drum heals) the Proplugs and see if they do the trick. If not, I'll break down and buy the mask with cups and see if that works. Hell, maybe I'll do both! I also plan to slow my descent rate down considerably. I get on the anchor line, get all excited to get to the bottom and probably go too fast as a result. Again, I appreciate your comments and suggestions.


If my ears aren't clearing on descent I will stop the descent until they do. If they ever wouldn't clear I would call the dive off. 

I've had the same eardrum ruptured twice (not while diving.) Took it over 18 months to heal over last time. Not going to risk it rupturing again for the sake of one dive.


----------

