Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - CT - July 16, 2005

[annabel-TT]

Michelle, good to meet you and glad that you feel better. Never had that happen to me, but I am sure it is not fun! Neil, nice to meet you too. Glad to hear that the expirence was good...until the vertigo happenend.

 

[ctmax]

I ran into the same Vertigo problem there. Ascending from 38', did the same thing, had a fix on my depth gauge and the flashing tank marker on my buddies back. Being a new diver I definitely thought it was something I did wrong. Thanks for the explanation. Glad to hear I did the right thing.

 

[shellbird]

Sorry to hijack the thread but this seems to be an issue with this quarry's thermoclines. I found it interesting that in Alternobaric vertigo, it is the clearing on the ASCENT that is suspected to be the culprit where as usually the focus is on descent.

I've got an appointment w/ENT on Thursday, I'll post what he says. Here's some info I found.

Vertigo or Dizziness?


True vertigo or inner ear balance disturbance is often confused with other vague problems with balance such as dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, swaying or overbreathing. The differentiation is sometimes difficult, even for otologic physicians who specialize in the subject. Some experts feel that vertigo is the most hazardous ear problem to occur during diving. It can be caused by decompression sickness, hypoxia (low oxygen), hypercarbia (high carbon dioxide), nitrogen narcosis, seasickness, alcoholic hangovers, sensory deprivation, hyperventilation, impure breathing gas, unequal caloric stimulation (as with one ear blocked by wax), and difficulties with middle ear pressure equalization (forcible Valsalva with blowout of the round window and inner ear damage).

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Very Hazardous Underwater


Whatever the cause, loss of spatial balance sense at depth is extremely hazardous and requires immediate controlled ascent (look at your bubbles to be sure which way is up). If vomiting occurs, leave one side of your regulator in your mouth and throw up out the other side. Don't try to dive any more and seek immediate help from a diving aware ENT physician for a thorough evaluation of your inner ear. Recompression may be a treatment choice if decompression sickness is a strong possibility. The association of hearing loss, ringing in the ear and vertigo in a no-decompression dive suggests round window damage requiring immediate care by an ENT surgeon for repair of a fistula.


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Treatment


Treatment of most vertigo patients is symptomatic, suspension of diving and bed rest. If the vertigo is really bad - the patient cannot get out of bed due to the whirling sensation. Drugs most often used are antihistamines, topical decongestants, topical steroid sprays and antibiotics. Some items in the diver's history may lead to prevention of problems with vertigo: chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction; recent upper respiratory infection; previous barotrauma, either diving or flying; nasal airway obstruction; history of major facial trauma or fractures; any congenital or surgical disease process leading to interference with the palatal muscles; and previous major sinus or ear surgery.


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Alternobaric vertigo


Transient vertigo almost always is due to " alternobaric vertigo " due to unequal middle ear pressures during ascent with resultant unequal vestibular end-organ stimulation. Pressure differences as little as 20 mm Hg can produce this in the chamber. Approximately 15% of all divers have been shown to have experienced this type of vertigo at some time in their diving careers. (Pullen).

This same type of vertigo can be produced by unequal caloric stimulation of the eardrum, as with colder water entering the undermost ear in the prone position. An external ear partially blocked with wax can cause this inequality.

The fact that it can happen every time and is transient and not associated with other symptoms such as deafness or severe pain makes me think that it's not reverse squeeze (pain) or DCS (deafness, tinnitus, nystagmus, vomiting).

The first thing you want to do is to see a "diving aware" physician to check out your ears (canals, eardrums, hearing, Eustachian tubes). If everything checks out OK, then you must consider that alternobaric vertigo is the problem and understand that unequal clearing on ascent is the cause. Treatment is by returning to depth, if only a foot or two, continuing to clear by whatever method you use, and ascending more slowly.

Prevention is the best treatment, by assuring that your Eustachian tubes remain open. Practice of clearing several hours and minutes before descent and the careful use of decongestants can be of some help.

 

[ctmax]

Thanks for the info.

 

[medic001918]

So when's the next dive down at the quarry? Any plans yet?
Shane

 

[Frank Hayes]

Sorry to hijack the thread but this seems to be an issue with this quarry's thermoclines. I found it interesting that in Alternobaric vertigo, it is the clearing on the ASCENT that is suspected to be the culprit where as usually the focus is on descent.

I've got an appointment w/ENT on Thursday, I'll post what he says. Here's some info I found.

Vertigo or Dizziness?


True vertigo or inner ear balance disturbance is often confused with other vague problems with balance such as dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, swaying or overbreathing. The differentiation is sometimes difficult, even for otologic physicians who specialize in the subject. Some experts feel that vertigo is the most hazardous ear problem to occur during diving. It can be caused by decompression sickness, hypoxia (low oxygen), hypercarbia (high carbon dioxide), nitrogen narcosis, seasickness, alcoholic hangovers, sensory deprivation, hyperventilation, impure breathing gas, unequal caloric stimulation (as with one ear blocked by wax), and difficulties with middle ear pressure equalization (forcible Valsalva with blowout of the round window and inner ear damage).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Very Hazardous Underwater


Whatever the cause, loss of spatial balance sense at depth is extremely hazardous and requires immediate controlled ascent (look at your bubbles to be sure which way is up). If vomiting occurs, leave one side of your regulator in your mouth and throw up out the other side. Don't try to dive any more and seek immediate help from a diving aware ENT physician for a thorough evaluation of your inner ear. Recompression may be a treatment choice if decompression sickness is a strong possibility. The association of hearing loss, ringing in the ear and vertigo in a no-decompression dive suggests round window damage requiring immediate care by an ENT surgeon for repair of a fistula.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Treatment


Treatment of most vertigo patients is symptomatic, suspension of diving and bed rest. If the vertigo is really bad - the patient cannot get out of bed due to the whirling sensation. Drugs most often used are antihistamines, topical decongestants, topical steroid sprays and antibiotics. Some items in the diver's history may lead to prevention of problems with vertigo: chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction; recent upper respiratory infection; previous barotrauma, either diving or flying; nasal airway obstruction; history of major facial trauma or fractures; any congenital or surgical disease process leading to interference with the palatal muscles; and previous major sinus or ear surgery.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternobaric vertigo


Transient vertigo almost always is due to " alternobaric vertigo " due to unequal middle ear pressures during ascent with resultant unequal vestibular end-organ stimulation. Pressure differences as little as 20 mm Hg can produce this in the chamber. Approximately 15% of all divers have been shown to have experienced this type of vertigo at some time in their diving careers. (Pullen).

This same type of vertigo can be produced by unequal caloric stimulation of the eardrum, as with colder water entering the undermost ear in the prone position. An external ear partially blocked with wax can cause this inequality.

The fact that it can happen every time and is transient and not associated with other symptoms such as deafness or severe pain makes me think that it's not reverse squeeze (pain) or DCS (deafness, tinnitus, nystagmus, vomiting).

The first thing you want to do is to see a "diving aware" physician to check out your ears (canals, eardrums, hearing, Eustachian tubes). If everything checks out OK, then you must consider that alternobaric vertigo is the problem and understand that unequal clearing on ascent is the cause. Treatment is by returning to depth, if only a foot or two, continuing to clear by whatever method you use, and ascending more slowly.

Prevention is the best treatment, by assuring that your Eustachian tubes remain open. Practice of clearing several hours and minutes before descent and the careful use of decongestants can be of some help.

Shellbird. We have had a couple thousand dives logged by a large and diverse group of divers , from beginners to Tech. I have not heard of a problem of vertigo before youre posts. You state at the beginning of youre post that there is a problem with the thermoclines in the quarry. And yet further down in youre own research there is no mention of thermoclines as the culprit. You stated in an earlier post you had problems with youre ears three days earlier on another dive at another location, Maybe that and the dives on saturday were the true culprits . If you have a study on thermoclines and vertigo please post it I would like to read it. I hope you feel better and the Doc gives you a thumbs up on diving soon. You looked like a hurting unit last week hope the drops helped. Let us know what the Doc says. Thanks Frank

 

[ScubaSarus]

Sounds like you have a bit more than a truly dive related incident unless you hurt your inner ear from lack of equalization. Cold water dripping into the INNER ear can cause dizziness but the dizziness usually subsides in a short time until the water drops reach body temp in a few minutes or after the dive.

Unless you got a severe Barotrauma,
It appears you have a more serious problem that was aggravated by diving. Hopefully you haven't hurt an ear drum and things will clear up. You don't have a history swimmers ear do you?

By the way Ed at Diver's Cove in Essex, CT has a connection to a good Dive ENT if you don't get an exam to your satusfaction.

Take care and best of luck.

 

[mikswi]

Has anyone ever dove the Sunken house in Garner lake??? that sounds Sick!!!! I would love do to that!!

I have not dove it but the mention of it here has peaked my curiosity! I dug up the info from the link that was provided-I gotta dive this!
The article is as follows:
[font=BenguiatFrisky,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]The Sunken House of Gardner Lake[/font] [font=Palatino,Times,'Times New Roman',serif]IF YOU DROPPED anchor some still night at a certain spot in Salem's lovely Gardner Lake, they say you can hear a haunting melody, played on an old piano, arising from beneath the quiet waters. And if you chose next day to investigate the source of the mysterious refrain by diving with mask and tank into the depth of those dark waters, you might just find yourself standing on the roof of a house with a piano in its parlor. For there is, indeed, a full-size home resting on the lake bottom, inhabited now only by creatures which breathe with gills. The sunken house in Gardner Lake began its watery history sometime in the winter of 1899-1900. The previous fall, the owner of the home had engaged a constructing firm to move the house from its original lot on one side of the lake to a lot he had recently purchased on the opposite shore. The contractor determined that the most efficient way to move the building was to wait until deep winter cold had frozen the lake solid and then to slide it from shore to shore on the thick ice. Once the house was jacked up off the ground and placed on giant runners, a team of oxen could easily accomplish the task. Moving day finally arrived, but by the time the house had been prepared for the sled, moved down to the shore and slid half-way across the lake, darkness had fallen. The workers decided to leave the house resting on its icy bed overnight and complete the move after daybreak. However, when they returned to the lake the next morning, they discovered to their chagrin that the extreme weight of the house resting on one spot for so long had been too much for the supporting ice. It had cracked under the pressure, leaving the house and all its contents listing heavily to port and threatening to sink altogether. Lacking the equipment to haul the structure from the water, all the contractors could do was go through the house salvaging such valuables as were portable and leave the building and its remaining contents to Mother Nature. Surprisingly enough, even after the ice left Gardner Lake, the house stubbornly refused to sink. In fact, for several years it continued to float, half-submerged, on the surface of the lake. Here tourists came from as far away as Boston to view the remarkable floating house, and children from the area were said to have enjoyed rowing out to play in the still unsubmerged attic. Years after it finally settled to the bottom of the lake -- at a point where water depths are said to exceed fifty feet -- divers in scuba gear have enjoyed finding the sunken hulk and exploring its interior. As late as 1959, a doll and crockery were recovered from the damp domicile. Recent explorers have also reported that many of the larger pieces of furniture remaining in the house are still in a remarkable state of preservation. Especially is this true, they say, of the upright piano leaning against a parlor wall. But even the divers can offer no explanation for the occasional stories that come from fisherman working the waters over the sunken house on certain warm, quiet evenings. More than a few anglers have come home at night to tell family and friends about the echoing piano melodies which have come faintly to their ears -- as if from the water directly beneath them -- and which, they claim, they just can't seem to forget. [/font]

 

[shellbird]

Frank, It was not my intent to imply that the quarry is responsible however two people on this thread mentioned similiar symptoms happening to them at the quarry (ctmax, ScubaSaurus). There is tons of information linking water temperature and pressure change to vertigo. The most useful I found was that simply descending to a point where you feel equalized and then re trying an ascent may be enought to thwart the vertigo from happening.

Check out this article:

http://66.218.71.225/search/cache?p=vertigo+water+temperature+pressure&ei=UTF-8&u=www.skin-diver.com/departments/scubamed/Vertigo.asp%3FtheID%3D338&w=vertigo+water+temperature+pressure&d=DA0EA8CE43&icp=1&.intl=us
I do have problems with this, but never as bad as Saturday and yes I do agree that the water/pressure in my ear I had residual from Wednesday had an impact.

I'm just glad I got to check out the quarry and had a good dive. It's an interesting place to dive for sure... all of a sudden a wall appears!! Definitely makes for some interesting navigating.

It was the after dive that SUCKED - BAD.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Well you can't blame the quarry totally. It is cold and dark down there. And if one makes an experienced and slow accent like in proper diving. The symptoms are usually mild. I see too many divers just shooting to the bottom not giving their body's time to adjust for pressure. I also see divers going down face first not realizing their body fluids collect in the sinuses and head when face down causing more problems. A few divers don't have ears for deep diving period and this may be your case but maybe its a temporary thing. I had ear problems for 2 months one season and couldn't get smooth dives and I had no remarkable ear exam; it mysteriously cleared up as fast as it appeared. I was adamant about a slow accent on the last dive in the quarry with no problem occuring. But yes if you go into a quarry and shoot to the bottom or thru an incline or surface fast you will get ear discomfort. Not saying this is what you did. If you are new to diving then by diving more you ears may get used to pressure changes. I see more ear problems in divers who dive very little than who dive a lot.

I love diving the lake bottoms in CT and don't ask why (Westhill for one) and its similar to the quarry for coldness. The quarry is nothing to mess around with in an inexperienced way and thats why its important to attend the dive briefing, and why the organizers have made provisions for assuring safety for all divers provided the divers dive properly and add a margin of safety. Don't forget we add 10 ft to our tables for cold water <50 deg we stay with our buddies (in sight always) (I also suggest a good light in the quarry). If you had a previos ear problem it could bother you for months and then suddenly clear up with no problems. Don't forget I was at 70 ft at 37 degree water and pressure plus depth as that time of the year was not a normal thing my body experiences everyday. When I tilted my head to check my buddy thats when I got a cold drop in the ear to go with my icecream headache. I should have stayed at 30-40 ft for a few and then gone on to 70. It took a bit to adapt to and when adapted was quite a pleasent experinece and privelege to be in the Portland Quarry (I've mused about the quarry since 1980 when I first swam in it). My cold hands was the limiting factor. I look forward to another quarry dive and this time I'm bringing my lift bag.

If you love diving and I'm sure any diver who visits the quarry does, you will manage your ear problems eventually unless there is something physically wrong with them.

Chris