Diving and Bronchitis

[OldNSalty]

My wife is getting over bronchitis and still has a bit of a cough. How do you know when you are healthy enough to go diving again? She asked me if she could make her final check out dives with this condition. I told her that a cough by itself isn't bad, congestion obviously is but I've only ever dealt with sinus issues or colds really.

She is of course feeling pressure because her class is so small that the instructor needs everyone to go or no one can go. The first week someone had a work conflict, then I had an ear problem, then she had this crud last week.

 

[live_2_dive]

if there is ANY blockage in either the nose or sinuses, I would absolutely shy away from diving. If she is clear in her airways then it's really a personal call..but just IMO if there is still a cough there is probably some kind of blockage from mucus in the airways...

I definitely understand there can be pressure not to hold anyone up in a class, but there is never a reason to lower your safety standards just to appease others watches. If you're not healthy enough to dive, you're not healthy enough to dive. Period. It could serve as a very good teaching point to talk about in class


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PADI Rescue/DM 09100Z7445
Dr Dive/Wet Dream/Sea Cobra/Y-Knot

Diving is my passion...I live to dive!

 

[spectrum]

Any wheezing?

Is the cough dry or productive?

Is she engaging in any other intense activities, i.e how is her wind?

Pete

 

[OldNSalty]

No wheezing, cough is a little of both really - not very consistent and not coughing often-more so at night.

 

[spectrum]

Medically I'm a zero!

What you describe sounds like my usually allergy background. Is what remains of this cough really new or does she have a history of seasonal allergies that may be in play too.

 

[TSandM]

There are really several considerations:

1. Head congestion may preclude diving, if she can't clear her ears or sinuses. You may not know about the sinuses until she tries.

2. ANY bronchospasm (wheeze) should keep her out of the water until it clears. You don't have any way of knowing how much blockage there is to air escape from the lungs, and lung barotrauma can kill.

3. Any shortness of breath should be a strong indicator not to dive; exercise tolerance should be pretty normal before getting in the water.

4. There is some evidence that exercising while in the throes of a viral illness prolongs the illness.

If this was just a cold with a bit of a cough, she probably doesn't have to be 100% to dive. But if it was full-blown bronchitis, with a lot of coughing and sputum production, she should wait until she's pretty much over it before thinking about diving.