Can scuba aggravate or increase allergy symptoms

[Rudebob]

I did three dives yesterday at a local lake. During the day the wind picked up and was blowing pretty hard. Immediately after surfacing on our last dive I was sneezing before I even exited the water. This continued all night (which I got almost no sleep) and I still have watery/itchy eyes with a runny nose and sneezing. Benedryll gives some relief but not fully.

I have never had problems with allergies in the past except maybe a slight sneezing/runny nose during the absolute worst dust/pollen seasons and I have never had an allergic reaction like this one in my life. However, this year in Arizona we are in the middle of an intense allergy season. We have had a wet year so far for the desert and everything is coming in to bloom. There was even an article on the front page of the local paper a few days back talking how we are having an epidemic season.

However, since I have never reacted like this and noticed it came on during/immediately after a dive I am wonder if there is something else going on. Or perhaps if diving can trigger or heighten sensitivity to this condition.

Any info would be appreciated,

bob

 

[fisherdvm]

I know other physicians disagreed with me before. In medicine, there is an entity called cold induced urticaria. Essentially, cold temperature is able to trigger the release of histamines from mast cells - causing urticaria.

The same extension to cold induced asthma - perhaps the mediator is mast cells, perhaps basophils, perhaps antibody mediated, however, the end result is the same.

I have experienced what I'd call cold induced rhinitis since I was a child. Cold temperature of any kind, including swimming, rain, a cloud passing over, can trigger my allergy symptoms. Although it is not the cold alone, it is an aggravation of preexisting allergy to pollen, cat, etc.

As I have grown older, my allergy is better. We always have at least 1 cat, and I do fine with one or two cat, unless they vomit. Then I wheeze. But when my allergy is active, cold certainly enhances it.

TSM and other have disagreed with me, it might be more on the confusion of lay folks of "cold symptoms" vs. "allergy symptoms" .... But my opinion is cold body temperature or cold exposure can aggravate asthma, allergic rhinitis, and possibly allergic conjunctivitis. I do find that an antihistamine block this "cold" induced symtom - suggesting that it is histamine induced.

 

[Rudebob]

Thanks for the response. Although I don't fully understand all the medical references you indicate, it sure seems I have done something to increase the sensitivity to allergies as a result of my diving on Sunday.

I failed to mentioned that my sensitivty is limited to my left nostril/air passage. However, the water was not that cold-67 degrees on the surface and 51 degrees at my max dive depth for that day which was around 75'. I have dove in much colder waters this winter on two previous weekends without a problem. I feel a little better today and was able to sleep last night but I am still very sensitive to sneezing/watery eyes on the left side of my face. Weird!

'bob

 

[drbill]

I'm not entirely sure of filter sizes on air compressors and pollen sizes, but wouldn't a lot of the pollen and other particulates that induce allergies be filtered out from the air put in the tank? I'm not a medical doctor and don't even play one on TV... just a marine biologist.

 

[DandyDon]

Interesting experience. I had a sever hay fever attack after snorkeling once, before I got into scuba, always wondered about that, but who knows what sets off some attacks. I get bad ones at times.

In your case, I have to wonder if your body is just not used to dry scuba air and is having an odd reaction. Hay fever allergies themselves are a mistake the body makes anyway, from what I've read.

Looking forward to medical profession posts on this I hope....