eardrum surgery

[snakes 0]

Hi,

This weekend, i have had my first tandem-jump. I'm so excited about the whole skydive-thing that I'm intrested in taking a course (Static line or AFF). But there can be a "small" problem: my ear(s). Six years ago I had surgery (new eardrum on the left). Until a day after the freefall and landing I have had a uncomfortable feeling ( I can't call it pain) in my left ear. I can describe that feeling like there was something "blocking" my ear , a small wad of cotton wool or something .

I also cleared my nose under "canopy"(?) by blowing while I pinched my nose (the instructor told me that that could help).

Now my question: Do you know any skydivers that have had the same surgery but still can jump. Or do you have any experience with the use of those presure-controlling-ear-plugs...

PS. I 'm also going to see my doctor who preformed the surgery for advice but I would like to hear also some expierences from some skydivers ...

PPS. Sorry for the not perfect english , I'm from Belgium...

Greetz

[Casch 0]

Hi there and welcome to the sport. Well I can't say I have had the surgery, but for my first 8 or so jumps, my ears were giving me a really hard time. I would clear them under canopy and on the ground several times and I would have pressure problems for several days after a jump. After about 9 jumps the problem began to subside and now I have no problem with it. I do recommend using some quality earplugs. I plan to start wearing them because the noise of the plane and freefall will over time damage your hearing.

[aero04 0]

Hi snakes and welcome!!!

I haven't had any surgeries on my ears either, but the pressure problems bothered me also. As a student I only got 1 maybe 2 jumps a month and I had that same full feeling (cotton ball in ears feeling). It seemed to last for a week or 2. For me, jumping more often fixed that problem. Still however, after most jumps I get back on the ground and feel that same full feeling in the ears, but after a few hours it is gone and everything is normal.

If you had no serious problems with your first jump, I can't imagine any problems developing later. Seems like you might just be more sensitive to the pressure changes than others.

I used to wear earplugs and the foam squishy kind seemed to work fine.

[newshooter12 0]

this may be off topic, but when i used to ski instruct and was up and down the hill all day. I used to have less trouble with pressure from flying then since i quit. I'm thinking it has, at least for me, a lot to do with conditioning.
matt

[dreamsville 0]

Would someone clarify? I think that freefall has less to do with hearing damage than the noise from the aircraft itself. Any takers?
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I don't drink during the day, so I don't know what it is about this airline. I keep falling out the door of the plane.

Harry, FB #4143

[billvon 2,995]

>I think that freefall has less to do with hearing damage than the
>noise from the aircraft itself. Any takers?

Both are an issue. Freefall is louder, but the aircraft ride is longer duration - and both amplitude and duration are factors in how much damage your ears see. There are other factors, of course, like being able to hear someone yell "look out!" under canopy.

[dreamsville 0]

I recently bought ear-plugs, but, as you said, I would stow them before freefall because I am afraid I might miss a yell or something under canopy.

Of course, I could always slip off my helmet at the end of free fall, take out the earplugs, put the helmet back on, and then pull. However, that sounds like an awful lot going on!
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I don't drink during the day, so I don't know what it is about this airline. I keep falling out the door of the plane.

Harry, FB #4143

[covey 0]

Hello everyone. I am really glad to see this post. No ear surgery here either. I was going to make an appointment to see a doctor if my ears bothered me again after this weekends jumping. I have only been jumping for a few weeks now. When we get done jumping my ears feel blocked too. I try clearing them and it goes away for the most part in a few hours. Then after sleeping one ear seems to be blocked. Then during the day it switches til they both clear after a few hours. I was hoping it was just some kind of congestion. Perhaps it will clear itself up with a couple more weeks of jumping.

Believe those who are seeking truth. Doubt those who find it. -Andre Gide

[aero04 0]

Thats what happened to me. My ears were alwasy screwed after the jump, but time cleared them. Conntinued jumping seems to help "condition" the ears to the pressure change.