Dive Medicine

[Krakenn]

Well I thought I would start a new thread as the mans laws was spinning out of control like a B17 over Germany in WW2 with its tail shot off. Fitness seemed the most appropriate area to post.

I have had for past couple of years a problem with sinus pain in the cavities above my eyes. I can remember laughing at guys that used to have it as i couldnt understand it. Then when I had that feeling of a nail getting driven through my skull above my eyes at about 6-10 metres I nearly gave up diving.

Now to get over the event I ended up taking a cold and flu tablet plus a sinus puffer each time i dived and whamo the problem was gone.

I do worry that one day I could get a reverse sinus at depth and have trouble getting back up but I have never had that problem once they have cleared.

It is something that worries me though and even if I dont take my treatment I can slowly push on past 10 metres and i can equalise - but it hurts!

Now I have recently given up smoking in the hope that the problem will rectify itself as well as the cough but only time will tell.

I'd be interested to hear your views on this or similar experiences or treatments to the problem. Giving up diving is not an option btw!

I have no problems equalising my ears.

This thread would also be good for divers to comment on other dive medical issues and I look forward to any comments on a range of issues

All the best

Kraks

[cgvmer]

I recommend a good allergist. I have spent alot of time with mine who also happens to be my son's. My son has allergy induced asthma, and when I told the allergist he wanted to dive, the doctor did due-diligence, had us return after reviewing the diving info ( I gave him DAN's number).

What the doctor did was change his medicine to ensure that he doesn't experience the problem on ascent.

Good luck

[somewhereinla]

Actually what you need is to see a doctor that specialize in Diving Medicine. So that he/she can evaluate your equalisation technics.
It is possible, actually very likely that you have a bad technic. For a long time I thought I couldn't dive as I had similar symptoms you described earlier but at 3-4 feet. I have pretty bad sinus ( I almost always feel somewhat congested) and yet, now that I have a good equalisation technic I can go to 100ft in no time.

How much experience do you have? How many logged dives?

[Krakenn]

A few decades and alot of dives but i dont log them sorry but thanks for the comments actually I think cgvmer may be my new hero and I have an appointment in 3 weeks with an allergist.


Kraks

[JugglingMonkeys]

Have you called DAN about this?

[Xspect]

mucinex is your friend

[drdiver]

Well I've lived with my sinus problems for as long as I've been diving (32 years this fall) and had to have sinus surgery at least in part due to my diving. This is how I handled it now. 12 or 24 hour Sudafed at the start of the dive day (no antihistamines). I put a shot of long acting Afrin on my Eustachian tube opening in my throat as well. I make sure and blow my nose and clear everything out and spit (sounds gross, works for me-better than squeeze) right before I get in the water. I regularly use a saline wash like Ocean and a Nettie pot in the morning and at night. And I've never had a reverse squeeze or trouble clearing in 10 years or so. Diligence is my key. The mucinex idea is also good, but thick mucus often suggests an infection and you shouldn't dive if you have one of those.

[scubasamurai]

call dan, especially if your a member your paying for it, and see if they have a good md specializing in dive medicine and ent ( ears nose throat). might be able to help you.

[Krakenn]

Im managing the problem fine. i was more interested to know if there was an end solution or an alternative treatment that I was not aware of.

Thx for the comments

Kraks

[paintsnow]

congrats on giving up smoking, don't start again. but im sure you already figured it was bad for you