Nose bleed concerns

[Dog&pony]

Newbie here, just did 7th and 8th dives on Sunday. During last dive went to 60 or so feet. Experienced a sinus squeeze and had a bit of blood in my mask upon surfacing. Both decent and ascent were very slow and controlled. I had no further bleeding after the initial. My nasal passages became somewhat congested during the dive, first time that had happened, and made it difficult to clear my mask.
Based on my reading here the above sounds normal and if that had been the end I would have no worries. But today is Thursday and I am noticing small amounts of blood in my phlegm. Nothing dramatic, just enough to notice. Is this remnants of Sunday's problem or something more serious?

 

[JD.Gattis]

Newbie here, just did 7th and 8th dives on Sunday. During last dive went to 60 or so feet. Experienced a sinus squeeze and had a bit of blood in my mask upon surfacing. Both decent and ascent were very slow and controlled. I had no further bleeding after the initial. My nasal passages became somewhat congested during the dive, first time that had happened, and made it difficult to clear my mask.
Based on my reading here the above sounds normal and if that had been the end I would have no worries. But today is Thursday and I am noticing small amounts of blood in my phlegm. Nothing dramatic, just enough to notice. Is this remnants of Sunday's problem or something more serious?

dude see a doctor. why chance it.

 

[JD.Gattis]

dude see a doctor. why chance it.

hey where do you dive in greenville? You ever been to Lake jahasse north of you. I hear its clear.

 

[fmerkel]

Sinus squeeze indicates congestion from some source. Congestion to the point you had trouble clearing your mask indicates a pretty serious problem. You need to figure out what it is and tend to that before continuing to dive. Unlike ears problems that are often the result of poor technique the sinuses pretty much have to "just clear" in order to dive. Chances are an ENT should figure into your future diving plans.

The nasal mucosa is extremely vascular. It has a huge job to warm and humidifiy all the air we breathe through the nose. Small amounts of damage can cause bleeding easily.
Is this new blood bright red and fresh looking, or kind of older, clotted, and darker? Darker blood is probably drainage from the squeezed sinus opening up. Bright red blood indicates new bleeding but this could be as simple as the damaged area opening back up, kind of like picking a scab. But it certainly indicates healing is not finished and you shouldn't dive.
Are you on any anti-coagulants for medical problems? Take Ginko Biloba? That herb has anti-coagulant properties. Those will make bleeding worse. Got allergies? Have problems with chronic congestion? That kind of stuff needs to be addressed.

Fritz Merkel
Sinus sufferer and reverse block victim. I do know what it feels like.

 

[DandyDon]

The nose bleed is problemly related to the equalizing problem, and probably not a big deal, but you need to see a :lildoc: doctor for professional advice.

Have you taken Sudafed, without problems? A long lasting pill could help a lot, as long as you are on Air and not Nitrox.

Your Dive Info doens't tell, but if you are new to scuba, it'll get better with practice. DAN takes emergency calls 24 hours, if it gets worse over the weekend. Call for a doctor appointment Monday, then call DAN during business hours to chat while you're wating to get in. :shades:

 

[kelpie]

Have you taken Sudafed, without problems? A long lasting pill could help a lot, as long as you are on Air and not Nitrox.

Why do you make a blanket statment like, "as long as you are on Air and not Nitrox"?

TIA,

kelpie

(Note: Before anyone quotes DAN's position on taking Sudafed while diving nitrox, they might want to read it VERY carefully to be sure that they understand it. They don't seem to agree with DandyDon. http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/article.asp?articleid=51 )

 

[ekiledjian]

Newbie here, just did 7th and 8th dives on Sunday. During last dive went to 60 or so feet. Experienced a sinus squeeze and had a bit of blood in my mask upon surfacing. Both decent and ascent were very slow and controlled. I had no further bleeding after the initial. My nasal passages became somewhat congested during the dive, first time that had happened, and made it difficult to clear my mask.
Based on my reading here the above sounds normal and if that had been the end I would have no worries. But today is Thursday and I am noticing small amounts of blood in my phlegm. Nothing dramatic, just enough to notice. Is this remnants of Sunday's problem or something more serious?

I had this problem on my first 2 dives. Then my chief instructor recommended I take a sinus decongestant 20 minutes before I dove (make sure it will last longer than the dive time). Since then I have had no problems. Ususally it happens when you try to equilise and your sinus' are closed or blocked.

 

[diverindeep]

I've been there too. My second dive of the day to 90'. I was kind of spooked. I had a cold starting and took Sudafed to help keep decongested. When I surfaced, my buddy told me I had a mess on my mask. The nose part of my mask is clear, so it must look horrible from someone else's point of view. I didn't get it checked out by a doctor and continued to dive twice the next day. My cold continued to get worse and I had difficulties with my ears blocked for the next couple of days. I did not seek medical attention (stupid...but that's just me...seldom do for anything) I have never had a problem since (20+ dives later). Everything sems fine. Looking back, I should have seen a doctor. I was on a sleep-aboard, out of town, another country....blah, blah, blah...still should have seen my doctor when I got home. Now I don't really know what happened and I'm curious. If it ever happens again, I'll go see my doc...just to know whats up!

 

[DandyDon]

Why do you make a blanket statment like, "as long as you are on Air and not Nitrox"?

TIA,

kelpie

(Note: Before anyone quotes DAN's position on taking Sudafed while diving nitrox, they might want to read it VERY carefully to be sure that they understand it. They don't seem to agree with DandyDon. http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/article.asp?articleid=51 )

Hey Kelpie - your first post! You are invited to post an Intro, if you'd like; click the link below my name. And fill in your Profile and especially you Dive Info to give yourslef validity, perhaps.

But thanks for the link. You'll see in my Info that I'm just a a diver, but - I'm still leery about taking PSE before a Nitrox dive. Still, it's always good to study the limited facts available on the subject for oneself.

I was diving with a baldheaded newbie in Cozumel last January, and he had a lot of problems equalizing, ending up with blood in his mask. When he went to pull it off on the boat, bloody snot smeared across his bald head.:lol2: and thought the physcian newbie across the boat from him was gonna' faint. She's ex-Army, but went into Radiology 'cause she didn't like looking at blood.

 

[kelpie]

Hey Kelpie - your first post! You are invited to post an Intro, if you'd like; click the link below my name. And fill in your Profile and especially you Dive Info to give yourslef validity, perhaps.

Let's see if I understand what you're trying to imply.

It's my first post, so I lack "validity" here.

I didn't post an intro, so I lack "validity" here.

I didn't fill out a Profile, so I lack "validity" here.

In reviewing my post, it looks to me like all I did was ask you to clarify a position you have taken, and linked to an article on the DAN website- a website that DOES seem to be considered "valid" on this board- that seems to refute your blanket condemnation of Sudafed with nitrox. Yet you seem to question MY "validity" in this thread. Just how "valid" do you have to be to ask a question and be worthy of an answer, Dandy? And along the same lines, how many posts does a board member have to make, and how much information do they have to have in their profiles before their posts are absolutely beyond question like yours seem to be? However many posts and how much information YOU have?

In my humble opinion, you would increase YOUR "validity" if when you post your own personal preference and opinion as medical advice and then aren't ready to support it with even "limited facts", you label it as such.

When you can't answer a question, attack- or "bash" as your smilie suggests- the asker and change the subject, right Dandy? And you're an official "greeter"? Sheesh, I know that I sure feel welcome.