Hiccups?

[Gidds]

Sometimes when I snorkel I get the hiccups. I assume it has to do with mouth breathing since it only happens when I've been snorkelling or have a stuffy nose or what have you. Anyway my usual remedy it to hold my breath but what happens if I get them while scuba diving? This hasn't happened yet but it's not like I've done a lot of diving. Should I just continue along hiccuping in my regulator?

 

[Blackwood]

Yes, continue hiccuping in your regulator.

 

[Gary D.]

Sometimes when I snorkel I get the hiccups. I assume it has to do with mouth breathing since it only happens when I've been snorkelling or have a stuffy nose or what have you. Anyway my usual remedy it to hold my breath but what happens if I get them while scuba diving? This hasn't happened yet but it's not like I've done a lot of diving. Should I just continue along hiccuping in my regulator?

Keep the reg in and hiccup.

Gary D.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

Sometimes when I snorkel I get the hiccups. I assume it has to do with mouth breathing since it only happens when I've been snorkelling or have a stuffy nose or what have you. Anyway my usual remedy it to hold my breath but what happens if I get them while scuba diving? This hasn't happened yet but it's not like I've done a lot of diving. Should I just continue along hiccuping in my regulator?

Yep, I sometimes get the hiccups while diving. It just sort of happens. Usually it disrupts my breathing enough that I make sure I have a good solid grip on my mouthpiece so I don't spit out the regulator. It also usually makes me burp under water as well since it introduces air into my digestive tract. When it is either a long or a particularly strong episode it can cause me to... er, um "offgass" in other ways as well. I just roll with the punches and thank my lucky stars that I am not diving in a dry suit with a hard hat!

On a serious note, about the only thing you should be aware of is that since it disrupts your normal breathing you should make sure that you open your airway and don't hold your breath, particularly if you are ascending at the time. I also grip the mouthpiece, not because I am likely to actually spit the regulator out but rather because normally I keep a rather relaxed grip on it and the violent movement of the hiccup could cause the reg to simply fall out of my mouth. Usually for me hiccups are more humorous than anything else, it usually takes my buddy a moment to figure out what is going on, but once he does he usually gets a good chuckle out of it.

Dive safe,

Mark Vlahos

 

[Gary D.]

When it is either a long or a particularly strong episode it can cause me to... er, um "offgass" in other ways as well. I just roll with the punches and thank my lucky stars that I am not diving in a dry suit with a hard hat!

Usually for me hiccups are more humorous than anything else, it usually takes my buddy a moment to figure out what is going on, but once he does he usually gets a good chuckle out of it.

Dive safe,

Mark Vlahos

The new hard hats wouldn't be bad but a Mk5 could cauld cause a black-out.

As far as your last part, Knock off the HOOCH when you diving.

Gary D.

 

[Canadian_Diver]

Sometimes when I snorkel I get the hiccups. I assume it has to do with mouth breathing since it only happens when I've been snorkelling or have a stuffy nose or what have you. Anyway my usual remedy it to hold my breath but what happens if I get them while scuba diving? This hasn't happened yet but it's not like I've done a lot of diving. Should I just continue along hiccuping in my regulator?

I belch, cough, and hiccup through my regulator all the time.... wanna share air?

 

[DandyDon]

I belch, cough, and hiccup through my regulator all the time.... wanna share air?

Oh, I think I might like your other second stage, please.

You can also puke thru a reg. Keep that thing in your mouth. Get a mouthpiece that makes it more secure, perhaps - a butterfly or a molded.

 

[Canadian_Diver]

Oh, I think I might like your other second stage, please.

You can also puke thru a reg. Keep that thing in your mouth. Get a mouthpiece that makes it more secure, perhaps - a butterfly or a molded.

Awww, c'mon Don. You wouldn't rather want my primary second stage??

The trick with puke is making sure you purge well enough that you don't git the grits'n'little bits stuck in the exhalation valves/diaphragms.

 

[DandyDon]

Awww, c'mon Don. You wouldn't rather want my primary second stage??

The trick with puke is making sure you purge well enough that you don't git the grits'n'little bits stuck in the exhalation valves/diaphragms.

No, I'm sure it's your best performing reg. You paid for it, you keep it. I'll appreciate the one less used...

I have forgotten to spit out the little snuf pouch before diving a couple of times. Those do not breath well. Always catch this on the 15 ft review, spit it out, purge the reg well.

 

[Firebrand]

FIRST LET ME STATE THAT I AM NOT A DOCTOR!!! Hiccups are caused by spasms of the diaphram. By breathing through your snorkel, you're putting an extra length on your "dead space" in your airways. Dead space is the air that is trapped between your lungs and a fresh air sourse (usually your mouth). When you add a snorkel, you extend that dead air space by however long your snorkel is. Your diaphram works harder to clear air out of that dead air space and draw in fresh air. With scuba, your dead air space is extended a little, but not like a snorkel, and air is delivered at ambiant pressure. You should not have to work as hard to breathe on scuba as you do a snorkel. If however you do get hiccups, just keep breathing and let them continue to interrupt your dive. They might be annoying at worst, but should not interfere with your dive at all.