headache and miserable 1st dives

[philmayer]

A tight mask could be the culprit. How long did your mask impression last on your face?

This was my first thought. I've had this problem several times.

It begins by tightening your mask too tight because you don't want water leaking in. Then as you get deeper and deeper, equalizing the mask can't relieve the pressure because the strap is too tight.

You don't notice the problem at 30 feet because the pressure is a lot less. But at 50, 60, 80 feet, the pressure keeps ramping up. 30 feet is only twice the pressure of the surface. 80 feet is nearly 4 times the pressure.

 

[fishballer]

from my limited dives, all the headaches i've encountered was because i did shallow breaths or swam against the current (over-exertion). so i would say maybe co2 is the reason?

just try to relax, concentrate on breathing deeply and swim slowly. there's no finish line to get to anyways.

good luck!

 

[OH-JJ]

NAUI open water certification is to 60 feet. The advanced class certification is 130 feet.
Ber :lilbunny:

Really? When did that change?

 

[SparticleBrane]

Whether or not the cert says you can do it...is it a good idea to do an 80' dive as your first right after OW?

 

[fisherdvm]

Unlike fisher, at this point, given the limited information offered by the OP, I don't see anything that mandates evaluation by a neurologist. Note that this doesn't constitute individual medical advice, because it is impossible to diagnose or prescribe over the internet.

I would recommend exploratory brain surgery, and elective frontal lobotomy as a precaution.

 

[OH-JJ]

Whether or not the cert says you can do it...is it a good idea to do an 80' dive as your first right after OW?

Never said it was a good nor bad Idea. I merely was answering the question of why the poster who just completed PADI OW was only told they could dive to 60 ft.


Personally I don't see nor understand this magic 60 foot limit. Of course, when I went through my NAUI class as part of my college course over ten years ago so this might have changed. Back then we were taught things like underwater navigation, safety stops at 15 feet, duffing and donning your gear underwater, and how to read our tables instead of relying on a computer, (although I still use my computer as primary and the tables as secondary.) I am not trying to bash any agency, just pointing things out, in fact I am taking a another PADI course here in three weeks.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Amputation of the head--just to be sure.

 

[Shasta_man]

This from a guy who dives in his tub!

 

[Mark_J]

I'd agree with the others that suggested the tightness of your mask followed by the quality of your regulator as the two most likely culprits for the headaches. Perhaps your next dive you should attempt a shallower depth and focus on how well your gear fits as well as how you're breathing (fast paced and shallow or deep and relaxed).

A slow methodical approach should expose the cause of the headaches and discover solutions that will help overcome them. Don't be discouraged!

 

[jon m]

Personally I don't see nor understand this magic 60 foot limit. Of course, when I went through my NAUI class as part of my college course over ten years ago so this might have changed. Back then we were taught things like underwater navigation, safety stops at 15 feet, duffing and donning your gear underwater, and how to read our tables instead of relying on a computer, (although I still use my computer as primary and the tables as secondary.) .

as did we in our Padi class last year...