Please help me- Tinnitus And Severe Loss of Hearing From Diving

[Cregis]

I went diving two weekends ago and noticed afterwards that I loss my hearing in my left ear. Moreover, I have severe (incessant) tinnitus. I went to the dr. the next day and he prescribed decongestants and Pseudoephedrine. After two days I went back to see the dr. (due to some pressure) and he conducted a hearing test. And b/c of the results he perforated the eardrum and removed some fluid. He said I had fluid in the middle ear and profound hearing loss, so he prescribed steroids. This was more than 13 days ago and I have not had any positive change to my hearing or the ringing.

Could my dr. diagnosed my injury wrong? Could I have damaged/blown my round and/or oval window (s)? Would this mean permanent hearing loss? If not, on average (range of time) how long is the recovery time ?

Thank you in advance!

[themusicman]

I imagine you,ve had this dealt with by now ...  if not
it sounds like inner ear barotrauma possibly blown window but generally this would present with
extreme  vertigo.Probably just cochlear damage of some lesser degree.
If your hearing still hasnt improved try an injection called an intratympanic injection of steroid
through the eardrum . Its the most powerful way to get a result and typically can have positive effects until 6 weeks out from injury but it has been tried later with limited results.
Don't delay if your ENT doesnt do it find a neuro-otologist at a university health centre close by you.
Good Luck.

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

Your doctor is retarded. That very well could have been flued from your cochlea that he drained out of your middle ear.  You need are real ENT...  that I wish you luck in doing so.  I tell you, it is a pleasure not to work in a country were people on now ran through the door like cattle!

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

BTW, fluid causes a conductive loss. NO CONDUCTIVE LOSS ALONE CAN CAUSE A PROFOUND HEARING LOSS.

So because of this, we already know that the cochlea has been damaged. How, we don't know. As the musicman suggested, the round window may have ruptured. The window in many cases heals on its own...  but the damage done to the cochlea is USUALLY permanent.

Again, I wish you luck

Your ENT probably can not read an audio gram to save his/her life. So sad, so very sad, and they are the ones that are supposed to have supervisory authority over audiologists!