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Possible NPQ for me

CaptainRon

CaptainRon

Member
pilot
Contributor
I might get the NAMI whammy because I cannot pop both my eardrums.

The doc had me plug my nose and mouth and blow a burst of air. I can get my right eardrum to pop, but not my left.

He said I may get automatically NPQ'd, or the Navy may let me get into an altitude chamber to see how I react, or they may stick me in a jet to see how I react.

Anybody seen anything like this before? Has anybody on here had this problem and still been able to fly, or am I finished?

Thanks guys. I'm pretty nervous about this.
 
I don't think they'll put you in a jet for it--that seems expensive and foolhardy when they have altitude chambers for that purpose. Don't flip out. I had a hole in my eardrum and was missing the first 2 inner-ear bones, found just prior to API and they got me surgery for it and everything. What stage are you wainting on?
 
The doc at NOMI told me he couldn't see my ear drums move during the whole valsalva check even though I could feel them moving and felt my ears clear. It wasn't a big deal and he didn't seem to care too much about it. You may have a problem if actually can't clear your ears, but if it's just the doc not being able to see any movement you'll probably be fine.
 
I should add I had tubes in my ears at the age of 6 and have not had any problems since. I've been skydiving, on tops of mountains in Colorado, and submerged about 20 feet down in lakes. Never had any issues with me ears.

The problem is that I can't pop them like everybody else...and as I've read that may be an issue because pilots may have to do that in the cockpit at times.
 
So you've been in environments where you have to equalize your ears is what your saying. How is that different from equalizing in an airplane? Are your ears equalizing w/o the ear drum moving? Can you pop them right now? Do you have a cold? It should only take gentle pressure to do this.
 
When I had my NOMI physical a little over a year ago, the doc couldn't see me clear my ears either, but they had some machine they used on me and that was good enough. I forget what the machine was called, but they stuck something into one ear at a time and checked that the ear would actually clear. Sorry I can't be more specific about what it was or how it worked.
 
If you have a slight head cold they may not both pop. I recently had a bit of a head cold, and could only clear one...but as the cold disipated I could pop them both. could this be the problem?
 
CaptainRon, will they send you to an ENT specialist? Ask for it.

Where are you? Ask the doc to see if he will set up a 'baro' flight with the local ASTC.
 
Shouldn't be a problem

I had the same problem on my most recent physical. Apparently my tubes are too small for the hold-your-nose-and-blow to work. So, like Port Tack said, they hooked me up to a machine that determined that I could clear my ears. It shouldn't be a problem just hang in there.
 
Another trick that helps me a lot is tilting my head to the side (if my left ear won't pop, tilt to the right) as if I was stretching my neck.
 
I'm in Newport right now, so there aren't any real flight docs. This is why the doctor was not very sure about what to do with me.

Thanks for the good news guys. And xj, I just tried that head tilting thing and it worked.

Looks like I might be able to avoid the dreaded NAMI whammy!:D
 
No flight surgeons in Newport? Yet another problem that wouldn't have existed in P-cola... greeeeaat...
 
The flight surgeons are willing to work with you and won't drop you on the spot unless you really have something wrong. Sometimes I have problems popping the ears because I may be plugged or whatever so the head tilt works. As long as you have some method for doing it you're alright. Glad to hear it works.
 
CaptainRon,
That's good news. Good luck with the Doc.

xmid,
Yea... kinda makes you wonder if they will move some up there or what the plan is?
 
phrogdriver said:
I don't think they'll put you in a jet for it--that seems expensive and foolhardy when they have altitude chambers for that purpose. Don't flip out. I had a hole in my eardrum and was missing the first 2 inner-ear bones, found just prior to API and they got me surgery for it and everything. What stage are you wainting on?
Click to expand...

This brings up something I've been worried about. About three weeks ago I perforated my eardrum while diving under about 15 feet of water. I had a cold and thought I was over it...

I went to the doctor and he says it's a minor perforation and that it will heal, that I had an ear infection and thats why it couldn't equalise. He gave me some antibiotics and told me to keep the ear dry.I said "you mean it might heal or will heal?" He said "that small of a perforation heals every time, 100% recovery, its no big deal just don't get it wet!"

I'm going to be shipping ot OCS on 3 Nov and don't know if I should try to get a later class. I dont want to delay OCS, but I also don't want to get disqualified once I get there and have to roll.

I have just over a month for this to resolve itself, which would put total healing time at 7 weeks. Doctor said it usually takes at least 4-5 weeks to close so 7 weeks should be enough.

I've been told upon arrival at Newport I will undergo a complete physical.

Ye wise ones, what would ye do about this?
 
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