Dizziness after getting out of the water

[NateSmith]

I dive recreationally and to make $ cleaning boats. Often, while cleaning the bottom of a boat, my mask will leak and water will get up my sinuses (and I think my Eustachian tube). I'm just fine while under the water. It's when I first get out of the water though that I have issues. I very often get very dizzy for about 2 minutes; so much so that I am forced to hold onto something to keep from falling down or sit down. I asked my instructor about it, and he said something about low blood pressure. I'm not entirely convinced that it's my blood pressure. I'm thinking the water enters my middle ear through my eustachian tubes and is making me dizzy that way.

What do you guys think? Anybody ever had a similar issue?

 

[elmer fudd]

I've experienced it underwater. Not really surprising when you consider all that our ears get subjected to during a dive.

I've read that the Eustachian tubes can get clogged with mucous during a dive if your sinuses are clogged and that one thing that can help clear it, (on the surface), is to jump up and down.

 

[stefo2]

I'm no expert here at all, but I very much doubt that water you get up your nose gets into the middle ear easily - that would be a major source of middle-ear infections for any swimmer or even people using these nose rinsing thingies, no idea what they are called in English, where you let water flow into one nostril and out the other. Water I accidentally or deliberately get up my nose, goes down my throat normally.

What I think is more likely is that your ears clear at different rates on ascent for whatever reason, one ear clearing before the other, causing vertigo or that it has nothing to do with your ears and sinuses at all, but with excertion, low blood pressure, no idea what.

Do you have this problem after normal dives as well?

 

[NateSmith]

No, don't have the problem with normal dives. I actually do really well on most dives. I'll go and check w/ the doc this week sometime.

 

[Web Monkey]

I asked my instructor about it, and he said something about low blood pressure. I'm not entirely convinced that it's my blood pressure. I'm thinking the water enters my middle ear through my eustachian tubes and is making me dizzy that way.

What do you guys think? Anybody ever had a similar issue?

Getting dizzy after a dive isn't normal and should be investigated.

Google: "dizzy site:scubaboard.com" for several excellent discussion on the topic. (Google works better than the SB search function)

Terry