Dizziness after a weekend of Dives

[Bond795]

Hi,

I Just got Certified the weekend of Nov. 6-7th of 2004. 4 Dives, 1st Dive 27 Feet for 35 mins, second dive 30 Feet for 25 mins. Sunday, First Dive 50 foot for 20 mins, second dive 27 feet for 40 mins. The dives where planned and organized by the dive master and instructor that was assigned to me for the certifcation, so i didnt bother charting the dives cause i didnt know what the depths and Bottom time where goin to be. Drove home from the Floida Keys on Sunday. Monday(11-8-04) afternoon i started noticing i was feeling alittle Dizzy, sightly off balanced. Not nausea, at least for me. I let it go for awhile thinking it may have been the boat ride and being on the boat for so long for 2 days. To tell the truth that exactly how it feels, like i just got off a boat and i am still swayin back and forth. But a week after i am still feeling this. It gets worst as the day goes on, and i dont really feel it after i wake up in the morning.

Any help or suggestions would be helpfull,

Thanks,
Ken

 

[ICY ICE]

Congrats on your OW.

Sounds like vertigo, I suggest seeing a doctor.

 

[rmediver2002]

Did you experience any difficulty clearing during your dives?

One possibility is that you damaged your inner ear, persistent vertigo is not a normal condition after any dive and can indicate a very serious injury.

I would suggest you call DAN, I would also schedule an appointment with an ENT specialist for an evaluation.

I hope you feel better,

 

[Tim Wong]

Hi,

I Just got Certified the weekend of Nov. 6-7th of 2004. 4 Dives, 1st Dive 27 Feet for 35 mins, second dive 30 Feet for 25 mins. Sunday, First Dive 50 foot for 20 mins, second dive 27 feet for 40 mins. The dives where planned and organized by the dive master and instructor that was assigned to me for the certifcation, so i didnt bother charting the dives cause i didnt know what the depths and Bottom time where goin to be. Drove home from the Floida Keys on Sunday. Monday(11-8-04) afternoon i started noticing i was feeling alittle Dizzy, sightly off balanced. Not nausea, at least for me. I let it go for awhile thinking it may have been the boat ride and being on the boat for so long for 2 days. To tell the truth that exactly how it feels, like i just got off a boat and i am still swayin back and forth. But a week after i am still feeling this. It gets worst as the day goes on, and i dont really feel it after i wake up in the morning.

Any help or suggestions would be helpfull,


Thanks,
Ken

If you start feeling dizzy on returning home on Monday afternoon as you have mentioned above, it would most probably be due to an ear infection. Many times there are dormant bacteria colonies inside our ears and upon sufficiant moisture build up inside the ear cannel (like diving) the bacteria colony will become active (this could be made worst if you have a wond in your ear). Another possibility is that you picked up bacteria from the water you dove in. The above advise is correct, go see a doctor for some anti-biotic ear drops to clear them up. A word of advise the next time you go diving, try putting a drop of olive oil or Tea Tree Oil in each of your ear at the end of the day when you are ready to turn in. The oil will help kill the bacteria inside your ears. We have the same problem over here in Asia where the water is warm and very favourable to bacteria growth.

 

[Bond795]

Did you experience any difficulty clearing during your dives?

One possibility is that you damaged your inner ear, persistent vertigo is not a normal condition after any dive and can indicate a very serious injury.

I would suggest you call DAN, I would also schedule an appointment with an ENT specialist for an evaluation.

I hope you feel better,

No, that is one thing that i made vary clear for my first dives and was one of my main concerns. I cleared the whole time i was down there basicly, like every 2 mins i was pinchin and blowin, and i was being over carefull with that. Also i never really felt a sqeeze because i was so constant with it. So that being, i never felt any discomfort or pressure like i waited to long to clear. I went to the family doc because my insurance demands a referal for a ENT doc. The family doc said that he saw that both ears where inflamed and little aggrovated at the outer ear but he isnt a a ENT to look at the inner ear, Priscripted some antibotics to take just incase its like swimmers ear or something. I'm goin to take the antibotics and see where that brings me after they are done if i still feel off balanced i'll go to a ENT. The dizziness seems to be not so bad, maybe getting better over time.

Any Suggestions or comments welcome,
Ken

 

[Tim Wong]

No, that is one thing that i made vary clear for my first dives and was one of my main concerns. I cleared the whole time i was down there basicly, like every 2 mins i was pinchin and blowin, and i was being over carefull with that. Also i never really felt a sqeeze because i was so constant with it. So that being, i never felt any discomfort or pressure like i waited to long to clear. I went to the family doc because my insurance demands a referal for a ENT doc. The family doc said that he saw that both ears where inflamed and little aggrovated at the outer ear but he isnt a a ENT to look at the inner ear, Priscripted some antibotics to take just incase its like swimmers ear or something. I'm goin to take the antibotics and see where that brings me after they are done if i still feel off balanced i'll go to a ENT. The dizziness seems to be not so bad, maybe getting better over time.

Any Suggestions or comments welcome,
Ken

The anti-biotics are working. You should be in good shape in the next few days.

 

[tfunk]

You ever get a head rush? If it's dizziness like that then it could be gas formation in your brain. The long and multi-day diving could have triggered it. Also, when I was a new diver I kinda felt the same way. It's my belief that all new divers should get dive insurance if they plan on going somewhere with it. I hope it clears, though, give DAN a call if it doesn't.

Tyler

 

[rmediver2002]

A diving injury can cause cell death by denying an area of tissues circulation (oxygen)
If you ever suspect there is any possibility that a symptom is related to a diving injury rapid treatment is the best policy, delays in treatment severely decrease the effectiveness of hyperbaric therapy...

For an injury involving the inner ear function, especially if only one ear may be involved the body can begin to compensate for the lack of input from the effected nerve. (symptoms begining to improve days or weeks later may not be the injury improving but the body compensating for the injury)

I think you should consult a specialist in any case...






AGE - arterial gas embolism is a blockage in the arterial circuit normally caused by a voluntary or involuntary blockage of air in the lung during expansion. The gas can cause a rupture of the aveoli and escape into arterial circulation.

AGE is not dependant on depth, duration of dive, or perodicity of multiple dives.



One situation when nitrogen can cause a blockage within the arterial circuit is when the diver has a heart defect (PFO) allowing gas that has come out of solution to leak from the venus to the arterial circuit within the heart (this would be possible in muti-dive days or muti-day diving)

 

[ArcticDiver]

No, that is one thing that i made vary clear for my first dives and was one of my main concerns. I cleared the whole time i was down there basicly, like every 2 mins i was pinchin and blowin, and i was being over carefull with that. Also i never really felt a sqeeze because i was so constant with it. So that being, i never felt any discomfort or pressure like i waited to long to clear. I went to the family doc because my insurance demands a referal for a ENT doc. The family doc said that he saw that both ears where inflamed and little aggrovated at the outer ear but he isnt a a ENT to look at the inner ear, Priscripted some antibotics to take just incase its like swimmers ear or something. I'm goin to take the antibotics and see where that brings me after they are done if i still feel off balanced i'll go to a ENT. The dizziness seems to be not so bad, maybe getting better over time.

Any Suggestions or comments welcome,
Ken

You asked for comments:

Seeing your family doctor, the person who is most familiar with you and what is normal for you, is the single best thing you could do. He has seen your ears and prescribed a course of treatment. Now you just need to have confidence in him.

No one here has seen your ears. Some because they are divers will immediately key on the problem being DCS related when there are many other possible causes that need to be considered. Your Doc is doing all that.

Good luck on your recovery and many happy days of diving.