Blood in the mask

[waynel]

Seems the common thread here is to "go slow". Good advice but I wish the DM's would remember that when you're trying to get down with them and start a swift drift dive. Now that I think about, I've seen newbies nearly in a panic to get down so they don't lose their DM even on a shallow reef dive in the Keys. They end up rushing or forgetting a step in the process...I don't mean to sound critical of DMs but perhaps, just perhaps...some of them sometimes forget that newbie "state of mind".

 

[ZenSquirrel]

Sometimes I get my mask strap too tight and it causes the "nose cup" of my mask to press into the lower part of my nose. On occasion this can rub just inside my nostril and pop a couple of capillaries.

But if this was happening you would notice that your nose was starting to hurt before you started to bleed.

 

[PUGMASTER]

I know a guy who practices at the pool. No more than 15' and he gets the same thing.
He must be pinching his nose something fierce!

 

[TheHobster]

the problkem is the cause, overpresure, can lead to other issues in the inner and middle ears - now THAT is bad juju

 

[Crazy Fingers]

I remember my first boat dive before being certified... pretty rough seas, I was seasick, and right before we were to go down this kid comes up with blood all in his mask and face. He was crying and got on the wrong boat. Freaked me out real bad before the first dive.

 

[Thalassamania]

I find this is usually caused by squeezing the nose too hard when equalizing or blowing too hard.

Do you have a reference or other reason for concluding that?

 

[Tigerman]

Reverse sinus overpressure issue.

It is quite common and most people that have it happen never feel a thing and don't have problems clearing the ears. I would see it in about 1 out 50 divers/students.
Not a real big thing to worry about, that I am aware of.

That was actually covered in my OW class as "what he said"...
Its generally harmless. You burst a few puny vessels in the process of the sinuses clearing and out comes a little blood.
Atleast the essence of how I remember it explained

 

[divebri]

as any allergy medication, particularly with decongestant, will most like be a culprit as well. In addition, simple "dry sinuses" could conceivably cause this as well.
reverse squeeze is also likely, although usually there's a lot of blood in that instance.
I would (a) limit and isolate any medications you may be taking, particularly sudafed, afrin, or the like, and (b) equalize gently by jaw-thrust, or swallowing, rather than the tradional valsalva (did I spell that right?) maneuver. Also try to make sure your nasal passages are nice and clear, and well-moistened prior to diving. Try a little vaseline around the inside of your nostrils the afternoon before diving.

Hope this helps, as another poster said, blood from any orifice is never a good thing.
I would see a doctor if it persists, because if you're breaking small capillaries, you could break a larger vessel and have a runaway, uncontrollable nosebleed some day.

 

[knotical]

I’ve seen it happen occasionally. I have not seen it with my students, perhaps because having had trouble equalizing when I started diving, I tend to spend extra time on this topic with my students, especially including the introduction of passive equalization techniques (yawn, jaw-thrust, etc.) You might want to try some of those techniques.

This website:
http://www.e-med.co.uk/diving/dive_questions.php?sub_cat=47
has some Q&As from a dive medicine specialist. The 2nd, 4th and 5th questions discuss various causes.

 

[TheHobster]

Do you have a reference or other reason for concluding that?

while not exactly what you requested this has lots of info:

http://www.ent-consult.com/for_divers.html#nosebleed