Safe Scuba Diving an Snorkeling TipsMedical Author:
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical EditorMelissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology. Medical Editor:
Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM
Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEMDr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Safe Scuba Diving and Snorkeling TipsProtect the Environment
|
Women's Health
Find out what women really need.
From WebMD
First Aid Resources
Featured Centers
- Ask the Nutritionist: Weight Loss Tips
- Which Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Work Best?
- Gout: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling Tips
Ear Squeeze Overview
Scuba diving can affect the external ear, middle ear, and inner ear. Ear problems are commonly caused by inadequate equalization, forceful equalization, diving with a cold or allergies, wax buildup, a tight hood, or a mask over the ear. If symptoms of ear squeeze begin at depth, they can be very dangerous for the diver.
Ear Squeeze Symptoms
Symptoms of ear squeeze include the following:
- Ear pain
- Fullness in the ear
- Hearing loss
- Ringing in the ear
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Vertigo
- Discharge from the ear, nose, or mouth
Ear Squeeze Treatment
- Rest; avoid further dives, coughing, sneezing, bending, and attempts to equalize pressure in the ears.
- Pain may be relieved with 1-2 acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 4 hours and/or 1-2 ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) eve...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape
Barotrauma »
Diving as a profession can be traced back more than 5000 years, yet diving-related disease was not described until Paul Bert wrote about caisson disease in 1878.
Featured Topics
Medical Dictionary
Pill Identifier on RxList
- quick,
easy,
pill identification
Find a Local Pharmacy
- including
24 hour
pharmacies

