Sea water

[Destructor]

Hi,

I went swimming in the British sea a few weeks back and afterwards my PT temporarily stopped for 1 whole week!

Now it has come on again since but is nowhere near as chronic as it was before. That said, I know from experience it will mostly likely increase again but I'm sure as any of you know, even 1 day without PT is something.

I just thought I'd post here in case this helps anyone. It has also happened in the past once or twice. My ear was popping afterwards for a few days but that's nothing. (By popping I mean when you clear your ears by blowing and pinching your nose and then you feel the inner ear move back after you release.)

I'm waiting for the results from a recent CT scan (that was taken annoyingly a couple of days after the PT had stopped so I'm hoping it won't have affected anything being picked up). Also MRIs have previously picked up nothing so I can't say for sure what normally causes my PT for comparison with those of you who know what causes your PT and whether or not it may help you.

Also it's worth noting that I was to some extent deliberately letting sea water get in my ear and wasn't just swimming but going underwater several times, holding my breath (mostly) and not particularly swallowing or letting water come out my nose although it happened once. Holding my breath underwater a few times did give me some pain in my ears and I normally feel a lot of pressure in my PT ear anyway. I also used swimmer's ear buds briefly before-hand. My ears are always wax free and I normally refrain from putting anything in my ears but I know prior to PT if I got water in my ears it would normally hurt after a bit hence why I had the buds with me. The pressure in my ears since and around my ear/head has been a lot less. I also get a lot of tension headaches in my forehead when I think too hard or am too tired and I still get these.

Also I've noticed in the past when going up and down hills my ear has popped and my PT had reduced so I'm sure pressure has something to do with it. I also got stung by a jellyfish up both legs when getting out which was unpleasant but I'm pretty sure that didn't help with the PT so I won't recommend that.

Trying to understand why this has happened - the only thing I can think is that my sinuses have been a bit blocked recently (although my PT is normally loud regardless of my sinuses). One night I had to get up and unblock them just by massaging my forehead and around my nose for a few minutes as I couldn't breathe at all through my nose.

I remember when I was at uni I was given a nasal spray and this contained a saline (salt water) solution to help unblock my sinuses - this was a while ago and I cannot remember if it was also the time I had glue ear or not.

Again I'm sure it won't be a cure for everyone but it is something and possibly worth trying.

[TurboTrace]

Very interesting. They recommend cold water swimming for migraine and I wonder if T has something to do with enlarged blood vessels, hence the relief you got from putting your head in cold, salt water.

I suffer with sinusitis occasionally but it's more my right side; my T occurs mostly on the left. Salt water rinses help with sinusitis but not my T.

[Graham-E]

Hi Sorry to ask a dumb question but when you say PT?I can guess the T word so no need to type that but please can you say what the P is.

Googled and nothing useful.

Again sorry to ask such a silly question.

Best Graham

[robtheprint in reply to Graham-E]

I would assume the P is for Pulsitile

[Graham-E in reply to robtheprint]

Thanks

[Destructor in reply to robtheprint]

yep, sorry I forgot this is a T forum too 🙂

[DownUnderInAus]

From my own experiences and research I would suspect that the physical movements of swimming has given your upper spine and neck a good workout with the cause of the PT being addressed, muscular? nerve? etc.

[Destructor in reply to DownUnderInAus]

I did kinda jar my neck when trying to do a handstand. I do have neck issues anyway and have been getting chiropractic adjustments for years. Sometime my adjustments help and sometime they don't. I struggle keeping my head up in water, hence I had goggle with me and was swimming underwater in part. So yes it's possible. It might be both the neck issue and the sea water.

[Destructor]

P.S. apparently there's an influx of jellyfish atm near Mablethorpe, not too far from where I was swimming so if anyone wants to see if the jellyfish sting theory works be my guest.

[doglover1973 in reply to Destructor]

😄😄

[Hidden]

HiSwimming is the most effective exercise for maximising blood flow. I similarly can stop my T for up the 34 hours after a 45 min swim in the local pool.

I believe that that my form of T is a result of localised blood flow restrictions in and around the ear. The beneficial effect is a result of post exercise blood vessel dilation and that swimming is the most effective because the heart is pumping your blood around your body whilst you are in the the prone position and not fighting gravity whilst swimming. Other forms of exercise can also help but are no where near as effective.

There needs to be more research in this area of therapy for T. There is a clear link between T, & blood flow.

Try not to drown.

Marcus

[Destructor]

I'll take a look thanks