Little chest congestion

[Goober]

is still hanging on after a bit of a mild cold last week. My head is clear, or as clear this melon gets. Just wondering if it would be okay to huff some compressed air this weekend. Any thoughts?

[PlatypusMan]

Originally Posted by Goober

is still hanging on after a bit of a mild cold last week. My head is clear, or as clear this melon gets. Just wondering if it would be okay to huff some compressed air this weekend. Any thoughts?

Anything that can restrict easy air flow through your lungs and nasal passages is cause for concern when you're a diver. Talk it over with a Doctor familiar with diving (at a local travel clinic, for example) for insight, but frankly it's always better to err on the side of caution and common sense.

Plus--before anyone else says it--you could also ask the stalwart pros at DAN through their website what they're opinion is, too.

Hope this helps!

[BuzzF117]

If I am not mistaken chest congestion is one of the things you should avoid since the congestion can block air from leaving the lungs during exhale thus increasing the risk of an embolism since the air could get trapped at depth thus expanding on accent.

[spellow]

I would not do it, especially if the cough is productive...

[Maya9]

Hi

SORRY !!!!!

No suggestions...

[navyhmc]

Originally Posted by Goober

is still hanging on after a bit of a mild cold last week. My head is clear, or as clear this melon gets. Just wondering if it would be okay to huff some compressed air this weekend. Any thoughts?

That would be bad, very bad. The problem is severalfold:
1. You may actually drive the gunk deeper into your lungs.
2. BuzzF117 is correct, you could induce an air embolism. It is usually easier to get air into the lungs than out of the lungs when you're congested. At the very least, you will injure the lungs with over inflation and that will only increase you congestion.
3. Depending on the air pressure you use, you could drive little nastys that should not be deep in your lungs, well-deep into your lungs causing m ore problems.

The best thing you can do to get over it is maybe some over the counter expectorants like Mucinex or it's generic equivalent. You may have an increase cough for a while, but the cough is moving the lung cookies in the right direction.

If you've had it for an extended time and not getting over it (I would say in excess of 3 weeks) get to the dr as you could have a pneumonia or bronchitis and you're going to need a little antibiotic help to get over it.

[Zenagirl]

I agree, don't dive if you have any congestion at all....the potential risk is too high. I got a cold almost 2 weeks ago and am FINALLY down to the last little bit to go away. I'm actually glad I'm not diving until the 24th to make sure that everything is cleared out of my lungs. However, I will hit the pool on Tuesday to check out gear and practice skills since I won't be deep enough to worry about bubble formation, etc...plus I think my lungs will be cleared out by then anyway.

[Goober]

It is down to near nothing now, I'm thinking by the time my buddy is ready to go...which may be after christmas now...it's on like neckbone!

Thanks to all!

[thor]

Originally Posted by Goober

It is down to near nothing now, I'm thinking by the time my buddy is ready to go...which may be after christmas now...it's on like neckbone!

Thanks to all!

Don't do it. I was in the same situation once...ONCE. I thought my congestion was almost gone and may have been allergies. Ended up with a VERY painful sinus squeeze and a sinus infection as a result of diving. You have the rest of your life to dive.

[cummings66]

I'll second the sinus infection bit. I got that, what I kind of thought but no Doctor told me, is that when I dove it allowed the nasty mucus to move into places where it was formally healthy and then it was all nasty. At any rate I went from nearly better to sick again. For myself I believe you can get sicker by diving.

I have allergies and sometimes it's tough to tell if it's that or if I'm getting sick. Diving while sick is definitely bad, diving with allergies isn't so bad if you can control them.