If you ascend too fast...

[DevonDiver]

Yeah, what they all said. Interestingly, I have read that you can also actually get DCS in your EAR as well as all the other possibilities.

Very unlikely on a recreational dive, as it's typically presented due to isobaric counter-diffusion (a deep diving problem, where a rich helium bottom mix is changed for a rich O2 deco mix). There is a post on the med forum about an 'air' ear bend, I think... must search it out and read...

Biophysical basis for inner ear decompression sickness

Biophysical basis for inner ear decompression sickness[/URL]]The putative cause of inner ear decompression sickness (IEDCS) is bubble formation initiated when the tension (concentration/solubility) of dissolved gas exceeds ambient pressure within the inner ear during ascent. However, beyond this presumed involvement of bubbles, there is uncertainty regarding their precise location and effects or the circumstances under which they are likely to form. Early descriptions of IEDCS after shallow dives often treated ear problems as being of secondary importance to the other central nervous system manifestations of DCS that were almost invariably present. However, the development of deeper diving techniques involving breathing of helium-oxygen gas mixtures has been associated with the occurrence of “pure” or “isolated” IEDCS, especially when switches to air or other nitrogen-rich breathing gas mixtures are made to accelerate decompression. Indeed, isobaric switches of inspired gas, made while the diver is held at a constant ambient pressure, have precipitated symptoms of IEDCS in the absence of any decompression

 

[DukeAMO]

Indeed, isobaric switches of inspired gas, made while the diver is held at a constant ambient pressure, have precipitated symptoms of IEDCS in the absence of any decompression

That is some serious geeky physics goodness. You learn something new every day...

 

[maniago]

There are no scuba police, but the ocean (lake, river, cave, wreck, stream, mine) does clean out the gene pool from time to time.

"Sky"-diving mistakes are quicker at effecting Mr Darwin's theories. The finality of the outcome probably hurts less too, but I'm not personally willing to test either method to conclusion...

 

[Hookonwavs]

Look I wasn't trying to sound like a DA to some that treated me that way. I was just saying that when I ascended that it was faster than I should've been going. I'm a new diver and a new diver is going to make some mistakes all I am trying to do is avoid them at any cost. Thanks to the people that saw that and gave me the right and important information. I understand DCI or DCS and acsending too fast is dangerous but its not like I ascended so fast that I bobbed at the surface. I am sure it was a reverse squeeze or reverse block. I do appreciate the people that took the time and seriousness of my question. Thanks!

 

[Quero]

Look I wasn't trying to sound like a DA to some that treated me that way. I was just saying that when I ascended that it was faster than I should've been going. I'm a new diver and a new diver is going to make some mistakes all I am trying to do is avoid them at any cost. Thanks to the people that saw that and gave me the right and important information. I understand DCI or DCS and acsending too fast is dangerous but its not like I ascended so fast that I bobbed at the surface. I am sure it was a reverse squeeze or reverse block. I do appreciate the people that took the time and seriousness of my question. Thanks!

Hookedonwavs, I apologize for the tone of some of our members in their critiques. Please try to cut them some slack even if they aren't cutting you any! We all hate to see anybody get hurt or worse on scuba, and we become alarmed when new divers like yourself ask an innocent question without much of a clue that what they're asking is critically important to their own safety. Their intentions are benevolent, even if their words are harsh.

Now as to your question, early on you got your answer--yes, you have probably experienced a barotrauma injury, but one that healed on its own with no intervention. You appear to have learned from the experience and have adjusted your diving accordingly. That's all good! Lucky you! And your experience has impelled you to come here to ask your question. That's also good! Don't let a few tough-love posts in this thread deter you from continuing to ask questions and to benefit from the enormous collective knowledge that SB members possess.

As to your adequacy as a diver or your ability to internalize of all the information in your basic course, one reason the agency I teach under requires that all student divers own a personal copy of the learning materials (rather than using loaner or library materials) is exactly because there's a lot of information to absorb, and it's an excellent idea to go back and re-read these materials with the hindsight that actual underwater experiences give a recently certified diver. A lot of stuff that may not have fully registered is likely to "click" on a second pass through the materials. If after you take a look again, you have more specific questions that the quite general information in your student manual doesn't address or doesn't go into enough detail to make clear, come back and ask us! It's almost guaranteed that somebody here will know how to answer, and that most of us will be respectful and friendly in our answers.

 

[WebmasterJ]

I began diving with analog gauges, now days most people dive with computers that will tell you if you are ascending to quickly but you should know how to do it manually based on depth/time as well. Work on your buoyancy and you will have more fun and safer dives.

 

[paolov]

If you ascend too fast is it normal to have like a pulsing feeling from your ear or ears when you reach the surface? I also had a temporary hearing loss in just one ear for a couple of minutes. I went to the doctor to check my eardrums and everything was fine. I haven't ascended that fast since. But my real question is can that cause real damage if you do it often.
I just want to know the hazards of ascending too fast.

perhaps your scent rate was not that fast. a bit faster and you would feel the debilitating pain within your ears. it is so painfull you will have no questions on the ascent rate affect.

to answer your question, yes it can damage and even kill you , the pain can make you unconscious. its that bad not to mention rupturing your eardrums.

preventin aid : audible ascent rate alarm (choose a dive computer with this function)

 

[Hookonwavs]

Thanks I will definitely look into that particular computer

 

[WebmasterJ]

I make my living on my computer (PC not dive computer) and I love my dive computer, but you should really learn the basics on ascending safely without relying on a computer. A computer is great for making things easy and giving you an alarm but you will feel safer and have a better time not having to rely on it.
Especially in clear water diving it is really easy to ascend to quickly without a point of reference, ascending to quickly will ruin your diving experience which is something that should be enjoyable in the first place.