Getting Vertigo/ The Spins....WHY??? Very Light Headed while diving.

[tracydr]

I've had it a couple of times, one was related to poor visibility. One was related to very cold water entering a loose hood.
if the visibility is poor, try to fix your vision on a set-point. A line will help. If the water is cold, make sure your wear a warm, tight hood so that your ears don't get cold.

 

[TSandM]

victorzamora, you can simplify your life a lot by pre-rigging your SMB! And by bringing your SMB up to your face to check it, and not having to look down

I tell my buddies on technical dives, where we are going to spend a lot of time in midwater, that it's up to them to stay where I can see them, because if I lose visual contact with them, I CANNOT look for them. That's actually been the trigger for most of my worst vertigo episodes.

 

[Captain Mikey Likey]

This is why I love this sport. Everyone is so helpful.

 

[Stoo]

What you're describing is almost certainly a "reverse block". Be careful that you are clearing properly on the way down. Failure to do so might be causing a little blood to be drawn into your middle ear which will clot and potentially slow down the egress of gas from your middle ear when you are ascending.

You might consider a mild decongestant spray or tablet prior to diving to open things up some. Make sure you have used the medication on land and that it doesn't have any side effect. Just bear in mind that ongoing use can actually make clearing harder. Judicious use can simplify diving for folks with "slow" ears...

 

[victorzamora]

Lynne, I have my SMB pre-rigged. However, since most of my diving has been in a cave it's set up for my wife's OW diving with a 15ft hang line for her safety stop. I've started manipulating the SMB in front of me, it's just not as comfortable for me for some reason. However, it has helped my vertigo drastically.

Stoo, decongestant sprays are good. I like to just get salt water into my system if I'm in the ocean. Sudafed (and some other decongestants) have been known to cause adverse affects in terms of deco physiology (ease of bendiness). I have heard of over-equalizing causing bleeding that causes a reverse block. It's a weird feeling.

 

[ffhamm]

Try to ascend slower, and swallow often.

Jeff

 

[Stoo]

Sudafed (and some other decongestants) have been known to cause adverse affects in terms of deco physiology (ease of bendiness). I have heard of over-equalizing causing bleeding that causes a reverse block. It's a weird feeling.

Absolutely true. I am blessed with sewer-sized Eustacian "pipes" and in 40 years of diving, I could count the number of times my ears gave me any trouble, on one hand. Mrs. Stoo, on the other hand, has always struggled with hers. She has developed a routine for just the right dosage and frequency to get her through a week, even doing five dives a day on a liveaboard. She's 100 pounds, "soaking wet" so very light doses keep her open, but she has noticed a racing heart as a temporary side-effect from the Sudafed...

 

[TSandM]

I believe the strongest statement one can make is that there are cases of oxygen toxicity where it is thought that sympathomimetic drugs like Sudafed may have played a role in lowering the seizure threshold. I do not believe there is any evidence that decongestants affect your decompression status or the likelihood of DCS. They do, however, tend to cause increased heart rate and blood pressure, and may contribute to heightening anxiety in someone who is already nervous.

 

[dbulmer]

Hello All.... I have been diving for 2 years. I obtained my Open Water Advance and year to date I have @ 30 dives ranging from 15ft - 65ft. I dont get it...once and awhile I get dizzy/light headed while diving. It happened maybe 5 times. Usually it happens when Im asending up the anchor line. Out of no where I feel like Im spinning in a circle very quickly while Im going up the line. Its very uncomfortable and am trying to over come it and not get discouraged. I dont know if it was to do with my equalization or its something totaly different. Sometimes I think it has to do with my wetsuit hood trapping the air???

Today I was in only 15 feet and while I was coming up the line I felt it. The spins...What am I doing or not doing wrong??????

Any input will be appreciated.

Im breathing clean air...tanks have been viz inspect...and filled in different places and the same thing happens.

Sounds like one ear is equalising at a different rate to the other = alternobaric vertigo.
In cold water I sometimes get it and when I do I wiggle my hood a bit and it goes away - might be something practical you can try.

 

[Landlocked123]

I posted a similar thread months ago as I had the same thing happen to me. What helped for me when it happend was to stare at my computer gauges on my wrist. Actually had to do that to determine up vs down and make a slow safe ascent. I was at the time in very low viz and I lost reference of top vs bottom. Sounds like everyone here has it nailed. I have been on much deeper dives since then but in all cases I could tell up from down and it never happened again. It's darn scary. As one reply stated having something to focus your attention on is key. Computer / Depth gauge worked for me.
Good luck