Bleeding from the ear, fluid drainage, or significant hearing loss, which may indicate a perforated eardrum. Under Pressure—Barotrauma in Skydiving

At five thousand feet, the muscle memory kicked in. He reached for the pilot chute, tossed it, and waited for the familiar, bone-jarring tug of the canopy opening.

The pain was a living thing. It didn't just hurt his ear; it radiated down his jaw and into his teeth. He couldn't sleep because lying down increased the blood pressure in his head, amplifying the throbbing. He spent the nights sitting up, watching movies with the subtitles on, because his balance was shot and his hearing was a distorted mess.

Whump.

He called the drop zone that afternoon. He didn't book a slot, though. He asked the Safety and Training officer if he could come in to help pack parachutes instead.

Ear Pain After Skydiving [exclusive] File

Bleeding from the ear, fluid drainage, or significant hearing loss, which may indicate a perforated eardrum. Under Pressure—Barotrauma in Skydiving

At five thousand feet, the muscle memory kicked in. He reached for the pilot chute, tossed it, and waited for the familiar, bone-jarring tug of the canopy opening.

Whump.

He called the drop zone that afternoon. He didn't book a slot, though. He asked the Safety and Training officer if he could come in to help pack parachutes instead.