Headache during/after diving

[Miss Gigl]

Well, today my boyfriend and I had our first 2 of the 4 check out dives. During our pool time, he experienced a severe headache but we weren't sure if it was dive related or not. Well, today we did 2 OW dives, max depth of about 35 feet, each about 45 minutes long. At about the halfway point of the first dive this intense headache returned and continued for the rest of the day and this evening. He says that when we had our break and after we finished the 2nd dive, it seemed to get a little better, but it's still quite painful tonight, mostly centered at the front of his head. He says he had no trouble equalizing for either dive.

Also of note, he's had trouble in planes when landing (and maybe once during take off) where he suddenly gets a severe headache (but not ear popping problems).

Tomorrow we're going to try to find a doctor here in Kona, HI that might be able to figure this one out -- but I was thinking that if this is dive related it can't possible be a new problem.

Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks in advance for any insight you maybe able to provide.

 

[David Evans]

Miss:

The most common cause of headache from diving (in my experience) is carbon dioxide - the infamous CO2 headache.

Causes for this are attributable to inefficient breathing, which is common for new divers (and for old ones too).

Hyperventilating will certainly cause a CO2 headache, because your body isn't able to efficiently eliminate CO2 in this case.

Shallow breathing and breath holding (which many experienced divers/photographers/videographers will do when trying to finely control their buoyancy or to keep from scaring a fish with their bubbles) will also cause a CO2 headache.

Tell your boyfriend to concentrate on taking deep breaths and fully exhaling at a relaxed, normal pace. This is tough to do for new divers, because breathing underwater isn't something that comes normal to us humans It takes some conscious practice as you are first getting started.

After a bit, it will be second nature. You can even devise some hand sign to use underwater to remind each other to breathe normally and exhale completely. And remember that you can watch your buddy's bubbles underwater to ascertain if their breathing is normal.

One last point regarding ear clearing.... this could in fact be sinus/ear related. START clearing your ears ON THE SURFACE before you submerge. You should never have to force your ears clear - the idea is to get a head start and stay ahead of the game as you descend.

HTH some.

-david

 

[rmediver2002]

It sounds like it could be an upper sinus problem to me, between the symptom lasting all day after the dive and the symptom somtimes occuring during an airplane flight.

If he is sure he is clearing his mask and ears properly then it may be an involuntary blockage of the sinus cavity.

This could most likely be taken care of by an ear, nose, and throat specialist. Most often an out-patient procedure.

Several of my students in the past had some type of abnormality, polyp or skin flap, that did not allow a portion of the sinus or middle ear space to clear properly or in some cases to slowly. All were treated and retunred to diving status.

Hope this is some help, good luck and keep diving!!

Jeff Lane

 

[pasley]

Miss Gigl once bubbled...
He says that when we had our break and after we finished the 2nd dive, it seemed to get a little better, but it's still quite painful tonight, mostly centered at the front of his head. He says he had no trouble equalizing for either dive.

Also of note, he's had trouble in planes when landing (and maybe once during take off) where he suddenly gets a severe headache (but not ear popping problems).

I agree with rmediver2002 that it sounds more like sinus to me. Location, front of head where the sinus is and secondly because he has the same problem in other pressure change situations (flying). He could have a sinus that is blocking and causing him pain in both situations. I would recommend having an ENT check him out.

PLEASE NOTE I AM NOT A DOCTOR OR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.

 

[zeN||]

Sounds like a migraine, set off by pressure changes Z

 

[twatto]

I'm pretty new to the diving scene, and have also come to experience the headache during and after dives, which then lasts for a minutes to hours after surfacing... only to start again after diving for a while.
Hard to say about your particular headache, but I feel that a combination of CO2 retention, pressure in the middle ear, and dehydration may cause the problem - all of which could set off migraines.
I often wonder if my headache may also be associated with persistently having my neck in a state of extension to look around and forward - something which (as I'm new to diving) may improve with more dives and more stamina of neck musculature, and then again, maybe not.....

 

[Diver0001]

Miss Gigl once bubbled...
Well, today my boyfriend and I had our first 2 of the 4 check out dives. During our pool time, he experienced a severe headache but we weren't sure if it was dive related or not. Well, today we did 2 OW dives, max depth of about 35 feet, each about 45 minutes long. At about the halfway point of the first dive this intense headache returned and continued for the rest of the day and this evening. He says that when we had our break and after we finished the 2nd dive, it seemed to get a little better, but it's still quite painful tonight, mostly centered at the front of his head. He says he had no trouble equalizing for either dive.

Also of note, he's had trouble in planes when landing (and maybe once during take off) where he suddenly gets a severe headache (but not ear popping problems).

Tomorrow we're going to try to find a doctor here in Kona, HI that might be able to figure this one out -- but I was thinking that if this is dive related it can't possible be a new problem.

Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks in advance for any insight you maybe able to provide.

It's probably dive related. My guess, not being a doctor or anything is that it's a sinus squeeze. I thought this because he has the same problem on airplanes. Maybe he has a blockage like a polyp or something in his sinusus.

Another major contibutor to headaches is muscle tension and CO2 retention. Headaches are a common problem among (beginning) divers. I'd definitely get it checked out but I think proper breathing, staying relaxed and ascending/descending slowly might help.

R..

 

[tboxcar]

I also get headaches, usually right after the dive or at the very end, not always though. In my case I am rather sure that it is some sort of Carbon Dioxide retention. In most cases it has occured when I am under physical exertion, swimming in a strong current for example. Trying to relax and breathing deep while trying to exhale completely has helped a lot, it's a shame as it can destroy your whole dive.

 

[Miss Gigl]

Thanks for all the input guys! Here's a follow up:

He went to the ENT doctor who thought it was probably a sinus squeeze. He used Flonase for a week and then we resumed our check out dives. Things went much better with only a small headache at the end of the 4th check out dive. We then did 2 more regular dives and 1 night dive without incident.

I don't think it was CO2 in this case -- probably just the sinus squeeze and maybe a too tight mask.

Thanks for all the suggestions

 

[rossh]

I have had headaches due to teeth gone bad. On two occasions, I required a root canal, and the headache showed up in diving long before the dentist spotted them.

Ross