Headache and Brain Fog for 2 months after diving

[leosarmentolp]

Hi Guys, hope you're all doing well.

My name is Leonardo and I've recently started diving (~10 dives so far). I went diving 2 months ago, did 2 dives in a day and took a flight on the next (24hrs+ after the last dive). A few days later I ended up with a sinusitis and a mid-ear barotrauma due to poor equalizing (nothing abnormal happened during the dive except this one time a had to force a lot to get a proper equalization).

The weird thing is... I haven't stopped feeling headaches since it started almost 2 months ago (pain is mainly on my temple area, sometimes also on my jaws) and when the pain intensifies, it's accompanied by dizziness/brain fog feeling. Have been to at least 10 doctors (including ENT/neurologists etc.), had several tests done (blood, pressure, sugar, MRI, CT etc.) and everything seems perfectly fine on the tests now that I've treated the sinusites with antibiotics and corticosteroids... but the pain and dizziness won't go away. I'm truly desperate.


Regards,
Leo

 

[lowwall]

The weird thing is... I haven't stopped feeling headaches since it started almost 2 months ago (pain is mainly on my temple area, sometimes also on my jaws) and when the pain intensifies, it's accompanied by dizziness/brain fog feeling. Have been to at least 10 doctors (including ENT/neurologists etc.), had several tests done (blood, pressure, sugar, MRI, CT etc.) and everything seems perfectly fine on the tests now that I've treated the sinusites with antibiotics and corticosteroids... but the pain and dizziness won't go away. I'm truly desperate.


Regards,
Leo

I don't have any medical advice to offer, but I wanted to give you some sympathy. What you are going through sounds terrible and I do hope you get this sorted out.

Have you read @doctormike's guide: https://scubaboard.com/community/resources/ear-problems-in-scuba-diving.3/

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

damn...have you seen a physician who is a diver - or even better one that is a hyperbaric doc?

 

[SlugLife]

I don't have medical advice, however DAN.org is probably one of the places I might look for info.

 

[kaylee_ann]

@Duke Dive Medicine may have an idea.
You need to be evaluated by a hyperbaric specialist, though. DAN can give you a list of ones in your area.
Hopefully you’ll get on the path to feeling better very soon!

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi Guys, hope you're all doing well.

My name is Leonardo and I've recently started diving (~10 dives so far). I went diving 2 months ago, did 2 dives in a day and took a flight on the next (24hrs+ after the last dive). A few days later I ended up with a sinusitis and a mid-ear barotrauma due to poor equalizing (nothing abnormal happened during the dive except this one time a had to force a lot to get a proper equalization).

The weird thing is... I haven't stopped feeling headaches since it started almost 2 months ago (pain is mainly on my temple area, sometimes also on my jaws) and when the pain intensifies, it's accompanied by dizziness/brain fog feeling. Have been to at least 10 doctors (including ENT/neurologists etc.), had several tests done (blood, pressure, sugar, MRI, CT etc.) and everything seems perfectly fine on the tests now that I've treated the sinusites with antibiotics and corticosteroids... but the pain and dizziness won't go away. I'm truly desperate.


Regards,
Leo

Hi Leonardo, I'm sorry that you're going through this. From your post it sounds like your symptoms did not start until a few days after diving, am I understanding that correctly?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[leosarmentolp]

Hi DDM,

That's exactly right. Headache started 4/5 days after diving. Dizziness ~3 weeks after. Both are still "here".

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi DDM,

That's exactly right. Headache started 4/5 days after diving. Dizziness ~3 weeks after. Both are still "here".

Hi Leonardo, thanks for those details. In light of that information, your mention of middle ear barotrauma makes me curious. How did you learn that you had middle ear barotrauma?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[CADuke]

This sound like how my chronic migraine present, though symptoms vary from day to day.

 

[leosarmentolp]

Was diagnosed by an ENT doctor. Had a nasofibroscopy done that diagnosed the sinusitis and the mid-ear barotrauma, according to the ENT doctor. Do you guys think it might be labyrinthitis?

Hi Leonardo, thanks for those details. In light of that information, your mention of middle ear barotrauma makes me curious. How did you learn that you had middle ear barotrauma?

Best regards,
DDM