Many divers travel abroad to dive on coral reefs which are one of nature's wonders. Nearly all coral reefs are in the tropics which means that the local climate will be hot. Divers must take care to avoid dehydration and desist from sunbathing immediately following a dive both are predisposing factors in decompression illness. Most tropical dive locations are in and around developing countries with poor standards of hygiene etc. Because of the repeated immersion in sea water, divers are prone to ear problems.
Infections can result from sea water trapped inside the ear canal.
Ears should be cleaned out with fresh water after the last dive of the day and dried without poking anything inside. Aluminium acetate ear drops are good for drying out the ears. After several days diving a build up of catarrh can lead to blockage of the sinuses and Eustachian tubes giving rise to problems during equalisation. Decongestants such as pseudoephedrine are useful for treating this condition. One tablet should be taken prior to the first dive of the day, the decongestant effect will last up to eight hours.