1st case of Vertigo

[Landlocked123]

So it happened at the local quarry this weekend. Was practicing DSMB deployment at 25 feet. Viz was probably 4-5 feet. Thermocline right at 25. Started out practicing DSMB deployment on platform while negatively bouyant (intnetionally so well grounded with good balance). Easy as pie. Next dive decided to try it while horizontal and unsupported just off the platform and just above the thermocline. Viz in it was probalby 2 feet. Just off turned into apparently more than 5 feet as platform was no longer visible. Perfect. This is what i wanted. So I go through the motions of deployment. Somewhere soon after clipping the bolt snap on my Chest D ring and prior to actually inflating started to get dizzy. Really did not know what direction was up or down. So I thought the following in this order.

1. This can't be that bad. I only went down to 55 feet for 35 seconds and have been handing at 25 for about 10 minutes. Worst case scenario, if this turns unmangeable and if I end up in a panic CESA to the top. Been practicing them. Easy.
2. Option 1 should not even be necessary. I just need to take my time and come up slowly. No need to panic here.
3. If I have a diving accident it can't possibly be in 25 feet of water for God's sake!
4. Ok just need to figure out which way up is.

So as the spinning got worse I realized the only way to tell what was up was my computer. Starring at the screen somewhat reduced the spinning also. Still Could not tell which way the bubbles were going. So I did. Computer was locked at 25. I had dialied in buoyancy perfectly. Really short burst of air in BC. Wait 3 seconds. Nothing. Another really short burst of air. 24 feet …one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand, 23 feet. Let some air out. Still spinning and have no way in which direciton I am pointed. Repeat all the way to 20 feet. Still spinning. Soon after breaking 19 feet I started to see more and as soon as I could physically tell which was was up (meaning with my eyes/senses) it went away almost instantly.

What the hell just happened??? So I hear that this can happen to folks hanging on long deco's when shallow in the ocean and as realted to the wave action. I guess the lack of knowing up from down triggered this? I have been in 2-3 foot viz before with absolutely no issues. What should i take away from this??

 

[billt4sf]

Maybe that commonly we rely on our sense of sight to maintain balance. When that sense is heavily compromised, one's sense of balance can be impaired.

 

[j2s]

Try using your compass next time....It can act as a stabilizing reference point.......I run into that problem from time to time in 'silt-outs' in caves and fossil hunting in low-zero viz conditions.......W/O a stable ref. point, once your mind and senses loose connection so to speak, it escalates, you get nauseous and panic sets in......A good 'fast swing' compass works wonders.......

 

[Wookie]

Vertigo (not disorientation) is often caused by a temperature problem in the inner ear. You look up, cold water goes in your ear canal, boom, you have no idea which way up is, and you won't until you have visual reference or the water warms up. I suffer badly still with 6,000 dives. I have to close my eyes, orient myself, and then open slowly, and that's in warm clear water. Good luck with that.

 

[luscioman]

That type of spacial distortion happens to pilots flying over the ocean or large water sources. When this occurs you must rely on your instruments (computer) and not go with what you feel. This is exactly what killed JFK Jr. You handeled it well.

 

[tracydr]

I had an episode at 130 feet. It was really cold and dark, somewhat poor vis. I think narcosis also played a factor. I think thought cold was the biggest factor in my case. I remember that my ears were really hurting and thinking that I need a new hood. I think my hood is too loose and probably not thick enough for the temperatures I was diving.
I've had two,milder episodes in very poor vis, maybe 2-4 foot vis,when it wasn't that cold. In those episodes, vis was probably the culprit.
I'm going to get a new, warmer hood and definitely going to start doing all my ascents with the SMB and the computer, going very slowly, especially for the last 30 feet or so.
Vertigo has got to be one of the most unpleasant feelings, especially when diving. I wonder if taking sea sickness medication, for those prone to vertigo, might help?

 

[Madacub]

Vertigo (not disorientation) is often caused by a temperature problem in the inner ear. You look up, cold water goes in your ear canal, boom, you have no idea which way up is, and you won't until you have visual reference or the water warms up. I suffer badly still with 6,000 dives. I have to close my eyes, orient myself, and then open slowly, and that's in warm clear water. Good luck with that.

Based on my experience, I agree with this 100%. Just be calm, watch your depth (as you were), you know you're not really spinning, it will pass when the water warms up due to your body heat in your ear.

 

[Wookie]

Vertigo has got to be one of the most unpleasant feelings, especially when diving. I wonder if taking sea sickness medication, for those prone to vertigo, might help?

Mine is an old holdover from an inner ear DCS issue. It was a week before I could get anyone to believe me that I was bent, and offer chamber treatment. I have suffered from vertigo diving ever since. I have to remember never to tip my head back and look up. If I do, I'm cooked until I get over it.

 

[Quero]

It sounds like it might be a case of disorientation rather than true vertigo. Vertigo is an inner ear problem that actually affects your balance and not just your spacial perception and which won't go away until the ear issue is resolved. Vertigo can be caused by altenobaric issues (one ear equalizes and the other doesn't) or by cold water in the middle ear affecting one ear more than the other as described by Wookie and tracydr, but you didn't mention a temperature differential, although you did mention the thermocline--was it a lot colder at 25 feet? Disorientation is purely perceptual confusion.

The only important thing to know when you're disoriented or have an attack of vertigo is which way is up. Then you can get a fix on something (even a bit of particulate in the water) with the psychological understanding of your body's orientation in the water column. You said you tried to watch bubbles--in a quarry with no currents, that should have been fairly straightforward, but I guess if the vis was so bad you couldn't even see bubbles, that could be problematic. You also said you were shooting your bag. I assume you had a line on it, so you could have inflated it, sent it up, and watched which way it went. Then you'd have your line to hold and fix your eyes on for orientation. Once you get oriented, you can overcome the anxiety and mounting stress that come from disorientation. Even with true vertigo, getting a visual orientation helps a lot, though it won't stop all the spinning.

 

[luscioman]

That type of spacial distortion happens to pilots flying over the ocean or large water sources. When this occurs you must rely on your instruments (computer) and not go with what you feel. This is exactly what killed JFK Jr. You handeled it well.