Which symptom is associated with inner ear barotrauma?

• A. Fluids may be coming out of the ear
• B. Hearing loss
• C. Vertigo without ear symptoms
• D. Nausea only

Answer: (A)

When a diver experiences a rapid pressure change, the ear tissues are stressed unless the middle ear can equalize. If the pressure differential is large and the tympanic membrane ruptures, middle-ear fluids can leak into the ear canal. That drainage—fluids coming out of the ear—is a direct sign that the ear structures have been damaged by barotrauma. While vertigo and hearing loss can occur with inner-ear involvement, they aren’t as specific, and nausea by itself is non-specific. So the presence of fluid draining from the ear clearly indicates an ear barotrauma event.