DCS? Reverse Squeeze?

[thethumper]

gozumm once bubbled...
You describe a reverse squeeze, and much of the pain is sinus related, as corroborated by the "films".

It gets worse as you get older if the cause that started it all, maybe this 'mass' was smaller then, continues to grow or worsen. It could be chronically inflammed sinus mucosa or even a sinus cyst.

The definitive way to find out is a biopsy. However, if decongestants and steroids reduce the size of the mass noticeably by X-ray, CT or MRI, a rapid change is size suggests its primary component is inflammatory, and one could take medications to control this without surgery.

Granted temperature can play a factor, its unlikely in Luraville unless the recent cold spell in North Fl did give you a bit of sinus trouble pre-dive.

If you dove with a minor sinusitus pre-dive then it explains a lot.

If you dove without any trace of sinusitus pre-dive then its trickier.

The tricky issues is if in decompression dives, these sinuses off gas slower than your other tissues, so that they tend to flare up during deco dives. You may need to adjust your deco schedule and prolong the 20' stop and even do a 10' stop, and see if that helps. Other possibilities include medicating yourself with steroid sprays and decongestants a week before the dive, then stop decongestants 1-2 days pre-dive to remove its potential risk for oxtox.

This is the Radiology Report I got yesterday.

Sinus Series
Indications: Congestion

Findings: The right maxillary sinus is opacified. No air fluid level is seen. I suspect this is chronic mucosal disease. The rest of the paranasal sinuses are clear.

I didn't have any sinus symptoms or problems predive. Though looking hind site, I have had some ascending squeezes over the past few months. Some times I would wake up & feel like I slept on the right side of my face wrong. It would be tender to the touch.
I'll see what my PCP wants to do on Monday.

 

[Saturation]

This is relatively good news, then. Sounds very much like sinus issues. Its not something that happened recently, but probably going off-on for years; many reasons for these: deviated septum, allergies, etc.

I posted a reply to your note yesterday but noted today its nowhere to be found.

BTW: most people refer to a reverse squeeze as an ear equalization issue, but failure of the sinus cavities to equalize will produce its own set of symptoms.

Dive safe!

 

[thethumper]

gozumm once bubbled...
This is relatively good news, then. Sounds very much like sinus issues. Its not something that happened recently, but probably going off-on for years; many reasons for these: deviated septum, allergies, etc.

I posted a reply to your note yesterday but noted today its nowhere to be found.

BTW: most people refer to a reverse squeeze as an ear equalization issue, but failure of the sinus cavities to equalize will produce its own set of symptoms.

Dive safe!

I asked the Dr if this could be from some of my "younger inapropriate" behaviers & he laughed @ me. He said he doubted it.

 

[Lawman]

This resembles a recent case here
in Michigan. A patient presented with
the same symptoms. Films showed a
similar "mass". In his medical history
the patient admitted to having ingested
several hamsters stolen from a pet store.
After a CAT scan it was revealed that one'
of the hamsters had survived and was
in fact attempting to escape and had become
lodged in his sinus cavity! Prompt action by
a local veterianarian saved his life. The
hamster unfortunately did not survive.

 

[thethumper]

Lawman once bubbled...
This resembles a recent case here
in Michigan. A patient presented with
the same symptoms. Films showed a
similar "mass". In his medical history
the patient admitted to having ingested
several hamsters stolen from a pet store.
After a CAT scan it was revealed that one'
of the hamsters had survived and was
in fact attempting to escape and had become
lodged in his sinus cavity! Prompt action by
a local veterianarian saved his life. The
hamster unfortunately did not survive.

:rofL:

That's just WRONG man......