Not sure if this is a reverse block

[Lauren Glen]

I went to 23 metres yesterday no problem equalising etc. and was a 40 minute dive in total. I ascended slowly as normal and was at around 4-5 metres depth when I spotted a giant clam spawning. I went back down to about 8 metres to get a closer look and then got a searing pain and intense pressure just above my right eye, where my eyebrow starts. It felt like an intense squeeze of my mask so I removed it and massaged the area, replaced my mask and cleared it but the pain was still there. I just had to hover for a while and hold the area because it was so painful. My buddy held me to make the ascent very slow. This also happened about a month ago (my last dive before this one). My buddy (a very experienced diver and course director) said it’s a form of reverse block. The pain isn’t nearly as intense today but it’s still there. Does anybody have any suggestions or advice? Could it actually be a reverse block?

 

[tursiops]

Call DAN. They actually know something....

 

[fmerkel]

Reverse block is pain from trapped air expanding as you come up.
You got a sinus squeeze from descending.....again.
If it did not improve on the way back UP, that was reverse block.

Chances are your sinuses took a 'hit' on the descent. This can make the opening swell up and close off. If it's bad enough the sinus space fills with mucus and capillary exudate (blood/plasma leak), just like ear barotrauma. Air is still trapped in compression in there along with this much non-compressible thicker fluid. It makes a mess and a lot of pressure if it can't get out. It can be quite painful. Been there.

Just like your ears you should NEVER feel pain in your sinuses. If you do and continue to dive you are looking for a problem. You can't clear your sinuses, they pretty much have to clear themselves. If you descend......very.....very....slowly, and pay....careful....attention to even minute pressure on the sinuses you may be able to deal with it that way. I have to descend slowly from shore (preferably) to 10--15 feet, STOP completely and hang out a couple minutes, then continue on down slowly. After that I'm generally fine.My ears, and my buddy's ears love me for it.

If that doesn't work, you likely should see a knowledgeable physician or ENT. You may need some medical intervention to prevent this.
I've been on nasal steroids, nasal rinses, sinus surgery, and other interventions for 20 years. Got way too much experience with this problem.

 

[IncreaseMyT]

Get this mask and see if it works for you. It will equalize the pressure on the way up which is supposed to happen naturally. If that isn't happening, it will with this mask on.

ProEar Mask

I've been on nasal steroids, nasal rinses, sinus surgery, and other interventions for 20 years. Got way too much experience with this problem.

You should try it too I know someone that went through all that stuff and will only dive with this mask and ascend or descend slowly. Thats how I learned about it.

 

[fmerkel]

The mask won't work for sinus problems at all. Can be useful for ear equalization.

To answer what you might do for the pain now; Afrin nasal spray, pseudofed, and nasal saline rinses, at your local drug store. Both medications are vaso-constrictors and my help open up that blocked sinus. Saline rinses will help to clean out the nose. If it works don't be surprised if you get a sudden discharge of old blood and mucus. That would be a good sign.

If it doesn't clear soon and pain continues, by all means see a physician, especially if you have evidence of infection. The 'gunk' in your sinus is open to the atmosphere and is a great medium for growing 'bugs'.

 

[IncreaseMyT]

It worked wonders for my son, and my buddy Josh. Just a suggestion, but I literally tried everything else with my son. And this works.

Everything your suggesting, we tried.

 

[johndiver999]

The description is entirely consistent with a sinus squeeze. You should NOT stay down when you feel this, you want to immediately begin an ascent.

When you stay at depth and are experiencing that kind of pain, your sinus is leaking fluid, it is swelling up and will probably begin bleeding soon. This can cause scar tissue and real damage. There are a lot of people who can no longer dive because of sinus issues. Don't push it!

 

[fmerkel]

It worked wonders for my son, and my buddy Josh. Just a suggestion, but I literally tried everything else with my son. And this works.
Everything your suggesting, we tried.

For EARS, or SINUSES? Don't confuse them.
Similar problem, but not the same thing. You cannot clear sinuses. They need to be open, which is normal for them, and clear themselves.
Eustachian canals are normally closed. You make some kind of effort like valsalva to clear them. If you cannot do that properly or easily, the Pro Mask may be helpful.

The sinuses are PART of the changing pressure environment as you descend, since you are breathing through the reg. The pressure gets to the sinuses unless your nasopharnyx was absolutely closed, which would be pathological. You make no effort, they clear, or they don't. Mask won't help at all.

Note - you can reverse block either the ears, or sinuses, or both. The OP is talking about a sinus block.

 

[IncreaseMyT]

Yes I understand. He had issues with a forehead squeeze really bad, I mean real bad. He had to stop diving pretty much. It was so bad he was getting blood out of his nose. My family has a history of sinus issues.

Then I went on a dive with Josh the Shark Guy. I have a lot of respect for him, he may be the best diver I have ever been around. He told me about the mask so we gave it a go. He has been using it for years. He dives daily.

First day with the mask my son did 3x 100 foot dives with no issues.

We tried everything you mentioned netty pot and so fourth. This was the last try before seeing a ear nose and throat specialist.

He has dived with it probably 50 times since then, and no issues. You can see in the following video at the end, the first day he wore it:

 

[fmerkel]

That's interesting. Not sure how it worked, apparently it did. Glad it did though. I'll have to think about the bio-physics of that.