Brain Freeze

[Dapher]

I certified in May and have been diving all summer. Went to Coz in September and after I returned the water here has gotten much colder. First dive back no problems but then last weekend after a night of frost when I went under I got the worst brain freeze I ever had. Reminded me of eating ice cream as a kid. I dive dry and wear a thick hood and gloves. Any idea's of how to better warm up my head? I love diving and would hate to take the winter off.

 

[Snowbear]

LOL I just had this discussion with a guy yesterday.... The water temps here are dropping fast and one of the students in a tech class I was assisting with by videotaping commented that the ice cream headache season is upon us. I told him that what I do is make sure the forehead and temporal parts of my hood are over my mask skirt. That way all I have to worry about is the minute or so it takes my lips to go numb when I first submerge :ice:

IMO, mask removal (on purpose or accidental) is a very bad thing when the water is 45F or less :11:

 

[Rimp]

Perhaps something like this?

http://www.divebooty.com/equipment_details.asp?pid=6585

Or use a dry hood instead of wet?

 

[spectrum]

I was a little cool Saturday especially around the thinner face seal of my hood. On Sunday I wore my beanie underneath the hood, the layering and extra material did the trick, for the whole 90 minutes.

Pete

 

[SueMermaid]

Augh! I remember my first brain freeze. It was the first time I had to fight corking to the surface. Ow! My eyes watered like Niagara Falls. Fortunately, it subsided in about 45 seconds, I just hung onto the anchor line and exclaimed "Ungh!" until it did. My buddy had no clue as to what was happening to me, so, after holding up a "waitaminnit" finger and letting it pass, I invented a new sign for brain freeze. He understood.
I got myself a zippy hood to wear over the drysuit hood. It was a lot of hood to handle on the surface, but it kept my brain warm.

 

[Dapher]

Thanks for the info. A friend tried to get me to buy a beanie for Coz, but I would not buy it because I was soooo looking forward to no hood. I think I will go back and get that beanie for under my hood AND I will make sure my temples are covered. Now if I can just find a way to heat up the water, life would be perfect.

 

[DrDuktayp]

I was a little cool Saturday especially around the thinner face seal of my hood. On Sunday I wore my beanie underneath the hood, the layering and extra material did the trick, for the whole 90 minutes.

Pete

Was that a neoprene beanie?

DrDuktayp