Can cold water on your head contrubute to vertigo?

[mello-yellow]

Today I wore my usual New England attire -- 7 mm wetsuit and a hooded vest, -- and it was too much in 63 F water. I was HOT during the first dive, and took off the vest for the second. The second dive began fine -- my head was a little chilly, but the rest of me was just right. That is, until I reached in for a lobster. It was dug in quite deep, and I had to roll onto my back in order to get a good grip. As soon as I did that, I found I couldn't find up!* Or rather, my eyes told me which way was up, but my inner ear did not agree. In fact, IIRC, my inner ear was not telling me anything at all!

That was a rather nauseating sensation. I closed my eyes, and to keep as still as possible got a good grip on the rock with my other arm -- the surge was pretty bad. One thing at a time -- focus on the lobster in my right hand, pull it out, roll onto knees, open eyes. Vertigo was gone, but nausea remained. Definitely motion sickness -- eating too much and too fast between dives did not help at all. Eventually I had to cut the dive short, and threw up a tiny bit when I got to the shore. I get motion sick easily, but never before under water, not even in much worse surge than today. So the question is -- can sudden chilling of the head affect the inner ear? Or was it just the matter of unwise food?

And yes, I am the one Stogey mentioned in his "motion sickness" post.

* "I can't find up!" -- a college acquaintace of mine after she consumed some unspecified amount of alcohol

 

[COVCI]

Vertigo is caused when one ear drum is at a different temperature than the other and since your inner ear affects your balance, different inner ear temperatures affect your balance. A vertigo study was done where they would induce vertigo by injecting cold water into a persons ear.

Hoods that fit well are often the best defense against cold water induced Vertigo.

Hope this helps.

Chris

 

[farrakhan]

When we do some cavediving in the cold fresh water here in South Australia I very ofton feel a sense of vertigo. The first few times its very frightewning but I've learnt to "ënjoy the experience". But in the warmer water it doesnt seem to ever happen so I to must agree that the cold water is to blame

 

[pipedope]

I have found that quick chilling my head can give me vertigo, or major headache and nausea.

I almost never dive without a hood even in fairly warm water.
I use a beanie or trilam hood in warmer conditions and save the hooded vest for rather cold water.

 

[slingshot]

You can induce vertigo in people by rapidly flushing the ear with cold water, a maneuver called a "cold caloric". This stimulates the vestibular system, causing vertigo. By turning over without a hood, you probably allowed cold water to flush through your ears. I am curious to note that priority one was to hold onto the lobster!

 

[mello-yellow]

I am curious to note that priority one was to hold onto the lobster!

I knew that I was not in any serious danger, that it was best to remain still, and the lobster was something to focus my mind on while remaining securely anchored.