Could/should I dive with cold/allergy?

[Divedoggie]

thanks. so how do I know whether I can pressurize your ears on land?

Plug your nose and gently blow. If you hear a subtle click, then your ears cleared. If you just feel pressure and no subtle click, its not clearing.

 

[s.s.seafan]

thanks for clearing that up! I could clear the ears with no problem. I also got the SinuCleanse suggested (never knew that existed), I think it worked to clear some mucus in my sinus. I still have 3 days before the trip, hope it all clears before then.

 

[RikRaeder]

Saved my Fiji trip with saline nose spray (used twice a day blast all the gook out of my sinuses). I make it a part of every trip now. Lost half of a trip to Palau with symptoms like you described. As my wife (and at least one poster) said; you can force it and dive this trip, but maybe never again, or we can come back another time and you can have a long and happy dive career. At the first sign of trouble I ended my diving for that trip.

 

[Autolysis]

If you can clear your sinuses, I don't see why not you can't dive.

If you're diving deep and very congested, it'll put a ton of pressure on your sinuses. One kid in my OW class sneezed while being very sick and started bleeding through his ear...

LOL