Headache after diving?

[Evie G]

What if it's dizziness & not headache? I seem to get dizzy underwaters when i move my head left & right. Taking Dizitabs or using a patch helps. My last dive, I didnt use any as waters is calm, but i ended-up soooo dizzy & threw-up twice underwater on my 2nd dive.. First time it happened to me. & i never have any motion sickness problem except when diving...

 

[Cave Diver]

What if it's dizziness & not headache? I seem to get dizzy underwaters when i move my head left & right. Taking Dizitabs or using a patch helps. My last dive, I didnt use any as waters is calm, but i ended-up soooo dizzy & threw-up twice underwater on my 2nd dive.. First time it happened to me. & i never have any motion sickness problem except when diving...

Do you feel like everything is spinning around you? What water temps are you diving in?

 

[Surface Interval]

I was also wondering if you were dehydrated.

The combo unconcious skip-breathing and dehydration could be causing your headaches.

 

[Evie G]

Do you feel like everything is spinning around you? What water temps are you diving in?

No, not vertigo, just dizzy. I dive in warm waters of 28-30C. Am always fully-suit up.
Well hydrated, have water w/ me on boat always.

Just got back fr Sardine run in Pescador. Three full days of fantastic divings.
Took Dizitab, so im sure not to get dizzy & spoil the dives. Perfect!!

(but still dnt understand why i get dizzy underwaters....)

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

I seem to get dizzy underwaters when i move my head left & right. Taking Dizitabs or using a patch helps. My last dive, I didnt use any as waters is calm, but i ended-up soooo dizzy & threw-up twice underwater on my 2nd dive.. First time it happened to me. & i never have any motion sickness problem except when diving...

Hi Evie,
A few questions:
1. Does the dizziness happen anywhere but in the water?
2. At what point in the dive do you first notice the dizziness?
3. It sounds like you are distinguishing it from vertigo, which is the sensation of movement - it's just dizziness, correct?
4. You said that the dizziness is accompanied by nausea and vomiting... are there any other symptoms like headache, or possibly a bad smell or taste in your mouth?
5. You said that moving your head back and forth makes it worse. Is there anything else that makes it worse, and does anything you do make it better?
6. How are you breathing during your dive? Do you take normal breaths, or is your breathing pattern altered?
7. Finally, if you don't take any medication, at what point does the dizziness go away?

 

[Evie G]

Hi Evie,
A few questions:
1. Does the dizziness happen anywhere but in the water?

I rarely or should i say seldom get dizzy topside. Not that i get it all the time when Im diving, just that it seems to happen more frequently when im diving, specially when i move my head left to right or right to left when i look at stuffs or taking note of my dive buddies whereabouts
2. At what point in the dive do you first notice the dizziness?
I dnt really take note, sometimes early-on, maybe 10-15mins into the dive, sometimes later-part.
3. It sounds like you are distinguishing it from vertigo, which is the sensation of movement - it's just dizziness, correct?
Vertigo is the feeling that everything is spinning around you, right? so, it's just dizziness. Sometimes maybe aggravated if strong currents ( I think ?)
4. You said that the dizziness is accompanied by nausea and vomiting The vomiting just happened that one time, twice in that same dive... are there any other symptoms like headache, or possibly a bad smell or taste in your mouth? None. Me & my dive buddies were thinking maybe it's because of a stale coffee we all took that morning in a rush. ( was wondering why it tastes acidic) & then the server brought us a new press of really strong coffee which i drank a big mugfull of. (maybe I had too much coffee?)
5. You said that moving your head back and forth makes it worse. Is there anything else that makes it worse, and does anything you do make it better?
Only moving my head sideways makes it worse. After the dives back in boat, I always have First Aid box & medicines & water bottle w/ me. I'll drink & smell my bottle of 'White Flower' medication (this is a chinese liquid medicine, usually use like a smelling salt for headaches etc & can dab on temples or under the nose) Look far into the horizon & I'll feel better after a while.
6. How are you breathing during your dive? Do you take normal breaths, or is your breathing pattern altered?
I think I maybe having some shallow breathing during first dives & gets normal after I settled down & more comfortable. I do try to breath in & out long ( dnt know if i describe this correctly ) exhaling all out before i breathe in again.
7. Finally, if you don't take any medication, at what point does the dizziness go away?

It doesnt last long. Midway SI usually it's gone already. (That is w/ the smelling of my bottle of 'white flower') Or underwaters, when i make the conscious effort of slowing down more & try not to move my head sideways, sometimes the dizziness goes away after a while.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi Evie,
I wonder if maybe you're getting motion sickness. Contrary to popular belief, it's possible to be seasick even while in the water. Since the dizziness does not happen all the time, this would point me away from some sort of ongoing issue with your inner ear. Also, the time of onset of the dizziness probably rules out some sort of pressure issue like alternobaric vertigo. Of course, I can't make specific diagnoses or recommendations over the internet, but that's my best guess given the information you've provided. Be careful if you use medications for seasickness because some can cause drowsiness. I'm not sure it's available in the P.I. but the scopolamine patch is very effective for most people. It sounds like your white flower also works - that's a pretty benign fix, so it definitely can't hurt to keep using that. Good luck!
DDM

 

[Evie G]

Thank you Duke Dive Med. The Bonamine or Dizitab I take dnt cause drowsiness. The scopolamine patch works for me as well, but not available here in PI (got them in Korea). Oh, & now I also bring preserved ginger w/ me to nibble. All of these works, just that I dnt like to take medicines if i can help it. So most times if I see waters are calm, Ill forego the meds. Sometimes i get dizzy, sometimes I dnt.

 

[cutlass]

Stimulation of the forearm acupressure point P6 (roughly 4-5cm proximal of wrist crease) is sometimes suggested for relieving post-op nausea. Efficacy is controversial but IMO, still worth trying. (Duke Surgery was an early advocate )

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Ha, Cutlass, I hadn't heard that. That must have been in the early years There was a presentation on seasickness at the UHMS NE chapter meeting last month - the speaker presented a study that pretty much debunked the pressure point theory. For Evie, I did neglect to mention ginger, which was listed as effective in the same presentation. It's a pretty benign fix, just like the white flower, so if it works, go for it. It shouldn't give you any problems diving.