Headaches

[prodjbm]

I recently received my OW certification and experienced a couple headaches after diving, my friend felt the same thing. I brought this to my instructors attention and he mentioned it could be from the way I was breathing. What type of breathing could cause headaches or what other things can cause a headache while diving.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[DandyDon]

I recently received my OW certification and experienced a couple headaches after diving, my friend felt the same thing. I brought this to my instructors attention and he mentioned it could be from the way I was breathing. What type of breathing could cause headaches or what other things can cause a headache while diving.

Thanks,
Bill

Shallow breathing common to some :newbie:s. I like to use most of my lung, inhale slowly, exhale slowly. You'll also get dry mouth until you learn to hydrate more and your body gets used to the dry air and responds.

Keep diving, safetly, and have fun.

 

[spectrum]

Breathing shallow and fast as new divers sometimes do will do it. The shallow breaths do not flush the carbon dioxide from dep in your lungs and you are slowly poisoning yourself. Take deep breaths and relax. As you do this you will naturally slow your breathing. At first it will seem like you are blowing through huge amounts of air but as you relax and slow down the net effect will be less air used and a healty diver.

Things like a tight mask, tight hood or the need for prescription eyeware can also result in a stessed head.

Bad air is always a posibility especially with rental cylinders that may have been filled almost anyplace along the way but in general this is low on the list.

Be sure to exhale deeply and most likely you will feel a lot better.

Pete

 

[TSandM]

An easy way to get a headache from diving is to use a breathing pattern that leads to carbon dioxide retention. Skip breathing (holding your breath between breaths to make your air last longer) will do this, as will a rapid, shallow breathing pattern which one often encounters with anxiety.

Sinus congestion can also result in headaches from diving, if you cannot equalize the sinus spaces.

 

[ScubyDoo]

My general rule of thumb for effective breathing is a slow and relaxed 5 second inhale, followed by a slow and relaxed 5 second exhale. This helps to keep you at a slow and relaxed pace mentally and physically, and also optimizes air consumption rate. As others have already stated, breathing too quickly or skip breathing causes a buildup of CO2, which leads to headaches. Long deep breaths...Long deep breaths..Long deep breaths.. Its all gravy after that.

 

[Bobbin-along]

Other things that can cause headaches include:

dehydration
not eating adequately during that day
biting the regulator mouthpiece too hard
muscle strain from trying to keep the head at some weird angle while diving (most of the time people don't even realize they are doing it)
putting tanks up too high and have unconciously boinked or press their head against the assembly during the dive.

 

[kjundvr]

I used to get headaches after every dive and could never figure out the reason. I checked my breathing and hydration and that never worked I still got them. It was not until around dive 80 that I accidentally loosened my mask and went for a dive after that no more headaches. What was happening is that my mask has a plastic bridge separating the two lenses that was pushing up on the bridge of my nose and as I went deeper the worse it got. Every dive I have I thank myself for accidentally loosening my strap. so check that out also if your breathing and hydration etc all check out.

 

[DandyDon]

Such a wonderful assortment of other answers. SB is a great place...!

 

[Cacia]

also worth a shot: try ascending much slower. Spend more of your profile on the ascent plane. This has worked the best for me. I notice new divers especially, stay down, "finish" ascend to the safety stop (at an acceptable but sub-optimal rate).

hope that helps, come back and give feedback on what you think worked for you!

 

[prodjbm]

Thanks everyone. I am thinking it was from my breathing since I usually stay pretty well hydrated and eat right and by my fourth dive, no headache. The mask may be another option since by the end of each day of OW cert. I couldn't get my mask down fast enough when I surfaced, although it doesn't feel tight to start. It didn't hurt enough to want to take it off underwater, man I hated that portion of the training lol.... Pretty amazing, 8 replies in 3 hours, that's great. Thanks again.