HELP WANTED: How to dive with a COLD....or something like it.
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not recommended
You're better off to wait. You could have problems equalizing. While a decongestant may give you temporary relief you don't want the effects running off while you're underwater (some of them also cause drowsiness - also not good).
I'll also go along with not recommended. Diving when your sinuses are congested and your respiratory system isn't healthy isn't a good thing. We're trying to save you the pain and potential health problems that are caused by a reverse block. OUCH!
I dove with a cold once and got a reverse block during my ascent. It litterly felt like my right eye was trying to pop out of it's socket. It took me 30 minutes to ascent from 20 feet just because I was having to get the block to equalize. It was some of the worst pain that I ever felt and a very serious situation.
I dove with a cold once and got a reverse block during my ascent. It litterly felt like my right eye was trying to pop out of it's socket. It took me 30 minutes to ascent from 20 feet just because I was having to get the block to equalize. It was some of the worst pain that I ever felt and a very serious situation.
ACR
Contributor
I'd second, or fourth, that it's not recommended. Allergies more or less keep me out of the water from late August through mid October and I'm none to happy about it, but it's not worth the risk to push my luck.
If you have a bad cold and are pretty blocked up descending will feel like someone taking a hammer to your forehead - it hurts!
If your sinuses are stuffed up a bit but you can still descend you will probably face problems on the way up. I made the mistake of trying to dive with a cold once, it took me four times as long to come up as it did to descend and the whole time I was in an awful amount of pain.
Get rest, take whatever drugs are necessary and wait till you get better... that would be my advice.
If your sinuses are stuffed up a bit but you can still descend you will probably face problems on the way up. I made the mistake of trying to dive with a cold once, it took me four times as long to come up as it did to descend and the whole time I was in an awful amount of pain.
Get rest, take whatever drugs are necessary and wait till you get better... that would be my advice.
NudeDiver
Contributor
I think you should go, as long as you don't mind putting yourself, dive buddy, or anyone associated with you at risk of injury, death or financial loss.
ligersandtions
Contributor
I would agree....if you have a cold (or feel one coming on), pass on the dive. There will always be other days to dive, and they will be far more enjoyable. During my AOW class, I started feeling a bit under the weather (fine in the morning, but progressively worse throughout the day). Since it was a class I had paid for, I rationalized to myself that it would be okay....on the last dive of the day, I was pretty sure my head was simultaneously implode and explode. Luckily, someone's primary light died on our night dive and we had to call it early....no issues ascending, but definitely not an enjoyable dive.
nereas
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Stay in bed,
Keep warm,
Drink plenty of liquids,
And take aspirin!
You cannot go scuba diving when you are sick with a cold or flu (viral respiratory infections).
I prefer the enteric coated aspirin.
as·pi·rin
noun, plural -rin, -rins.
1.Pharmacology. a white, crystalline substance, C9H8O4, derivative of salicylic acid, used as an anti-inflammatory agent and to relieve the pain of headache, rheumatism, gout, neuralgia, etc.; acetylsalicylic acid.
2.
[Origin: 1899; orig. G trademark, equiv. to A(cetyl) acetyl + Spir(säure) salicylic acid (see spiraea) + -in -in2
]
Keep warm,
Drink plenty of liquids,
And take aspirin!
You cannot go scuba diving when you are sick with a cold or flu (viral respiratory infections).
I prefer the enteric coated aspirin.
as·pi·rin
noun, plural -rin, -rins.
1.Pharmacology. a white, crystalline substance, C9H8O4, derivative of salicylic acid, used as an anti-inflammatory agent and to relieve the pain of headache, rheumatism, gout, neuralgia, etc.; acetylsalicylic acid.
2.
[Origin: 1899; orig. G trademark, equiv. to A(cetyl) acetyl + Spir(säure) salicylic acid (see spiraea) + -in -in2
SkipperJohn
Contributor
The PADI book is quite clear on this. Don't do it. Even if you take some sort of med to clear things up, you will be in trouble if it wears off during your dive.
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