Delayed Onset Vertigo

[mccabejc]

Okay, I made up a name for this, but it describes it pretty well. Did some shallow dives one day, and felt fine during and after. No equalizing problems, no problems at depth, ears felt fine. However about 24+ hours later I had my head down reading a book for about 1/2 hour, then when I raised my head BAM! my head started swirling.

Same thing happened the next time I dove a couple weeks later. Did some more shallow dives, felt fine, and also used some "Swim Ear" drops because of water conditions. Then 24+ hours later got vertigo symptoms (a bit dizzy, head swirling).

Anyone know what would cause a delayed onset of vertigo symptoms?

 

[babar]

Were you using oxygen or nitrox? There is something called "middle ear oxygen reabsorbtion syndrone. It happens when diving nitrox or in a hyperbaric chamber. As you dive. the air in your middle ear in replaced with the mix you happen to be breathing.
the oxygen in that mix gets absorbed leaving a partial vacuum. I just took a rebreather course and found that I had to equalize several times over night after each days diving.

 

[tangfish]

Most likely you have slight swelling in your sinuses as a result of pressure, equalizing and generally being in the water. swollen sinuses lead to small amounts of trapped mucous and sometimes vertigo as you describe (notice all the snot after a dive). It takes a little while for enough liquid to collect to lead to vertigo. I would use a nose spray like nasonex or rhinocort, or a mild decongestant before and after diving. Also, ear drops often cause more problems than they help, FYI.

Okay, I made up a name for this, but it describes it pretty well. Did some shallow dives one day, and felt fine during and after. No equalizing problems, no problems at depth, ears felt fine. However about 24+ hours later I had my head down reading a book for about 1/2 hour, then when I raised my head BAM! my head started swirling.

Same thing happened the next time I dove a couple weeks later. Did some more shallow dives, felt fine, and also used some "Swim Ear" drops because of water conditions. Then 24+ hours later got vertigo symptoms (a bit dizzy, head swirling).

Anyone know what would cause a delayed onset of vertigo symptoms?

 

[vondo]

I had a similar experience. About a week after diving I got a severe case of vertigo. Never having had it before, I had no idea what it was and it scared me half to death. I couldn't sit up without getting violently ill. Laying on the floor in my bathroom enabled me to keep from throwing up.

I ended up in the ER pumped full of vallium, anti-vertigo and anti-naseau drugs. It was a week before I felt completely normal.

As with most cases of vertigo, they didn't determine a cause. About the only thing I can think of was the diving. Actually, to my mind, it was more likely the snorkeling on the same vacation where I dove to 10-15' and put more pressure on my ears than when I was diving. In any case, I was diving air, not taking medication, didn't have a cold or ear infection (as far as I know), or any other predisposition.

Our balance system is really complex and delicate and seems to be somewhat easily upset.

I've been diving a few times since then and never had a problem.

 

[ericrd]

Were you using oxygen or nitrox? There is something called "middle ear oxygen reabsorbtion syndrone. It happens when diving nitrox or in a hyperbaric chamber. As you dive. the air in your middle ear in replaced with the mix you happen to be breathing.
the oxygen in that mix gets absorbed leaving a partial vacuum. I just took a rebreather course and found that I had to equalize several times over night after each days diving.

would you have some more reference regarding this syndrome ? I'd be quite interested. I've googled it, but nothing really came out (or too much...)

eric

 

[do it easy]

How quickly can this happen? I did a 2 hour dive using 40%-50% nitrox and about 30 minutes after the dive, I bent over and felt dizzy. I thought it was because I was face down for so long. Is this too soon to be considered MEORS?