Question Please HELP - persistent swaying/vertigo/imbalance after successful first dives

[NewDiver117]

Hello @NewDiver117 ,

Alternobaric vertigo, which happens when one ear equalizes but the other one doesn't, is almost always transient. This far out, given your persistent symptoms and your report of difficulty equalizing during your dive, I would be concerned for unresolved inner ear barotrauma. I strongly recommend that you be evaluated immediately by an ENT physician who is competent to assess divers. I'm pm'ing you information on a diving physician who is closer to your time zone and would recommend you contact him post haste. He is not an ENT but he is a world-renowned expert on diving injuries; he may be able to refer you to someone who's close to you.

Best regards,
DDM

Hi @Duke Dive Medicine - thank you for reading. I will respond to your DM, and follow up with your referral too! Thanks once again.

 

[wnissen]

Hello @NewDiver117 ,

Alternobaric vertigo, which happens when one ear equalizes but the other one doesn't, is almost always transient. This far out, given your persistent symptoms and your report of difficulty equalizing during your dive, I would be concerned for unresolved inner ear barotrauma. I strongly recommend that you be evaluated immediately by an ENT physician who is competent to assess divers. I'm pm'ing you information on a diving physician who is closer to your time zone and would recommend you contact him post haste. He is not an ENT but he is a world-renowned expert on diving injuries; he may be able to refer you to someone who's close to you.

Best regards,
DDM

I just want to send a public appreciation for this message. It's truly going above and beyond. Thank you.

 

[wnissen]

Hi,

I got my PADI open water 18m dive certification in June. As part of the course, I did 1 day in the pool, 2 shore dives & 2 open water dives. The dives were amazing and nothing went wrong during or immediately after dive. The only minor 'issue' was I had trouble equalising when we went down for our first shore dive at 10m. My right ear wouldn't equalise- so the instructor and I ascended a few meters, tried again and it equalised fine. I did 1 more shore dive that day and 2 open water dives (max depth 12m , for 20 minutes each dive both days and plenty of surface time between dives) the following day. Everything was fine, no issues on either of the days and I was fine 30 hours until after the dive.

I took a plane back home (4 hour flight) 30 hours after the last dive. (Last dive was Sunday 5pm, I flew back home Tuesday morning around 1am)

Ever since I've landed back home - I've had constant swaying or imbalance. Sometimes it feels like I'm on the boat, most times I'm just dizzy/feel like the ground moves. This happens usually when I'm standing, walking or sitting down, and sometimes when I change my posture during sleep. Its worse when I'm tired/anxious. I've taken a few flights after and it's definitely worse immediately after flights too.

After about 4 days of experiencing this constant symptom - I went to emergency as I panicked. They cleared me out for dcs (only verbal checks no tests) and the ENTs cleared me out for any hearing loss or perforations (through audiometry tests). They said it'll be fine over time and nothing fatal or anything they can see and prescribed me beta histine. I followed up with a few GPs and ENTs and they all couldn't find anything (one even said it was anxiety - no such history and never been an anxious person before this symptom)

It is going to clock over 3 months soon, and I'm still not over this symptom. I'm scared as even though it may not be fatal, it's still affected me considerably. I am finding it hard to work, and gym/surf/ski has all stopped. I just keep feeling this all the time.

Can you please help and suggest some potential solutions? Do you know anyone with similar symptoms ? What do I do???

Thanks for reading. Any advice is appreciated!
H

Hello,

I am also an occasional vertigo sufferer, though never for more than a few days at most, I truly sympathize. The comic book view of vertigo as being slightly off balance or light headed is nothing compared to being off balance and wanting to throw up all the time! Even worse when one is a younger, active person.

I just have generally janky ears, difficulty equalizing all the time (usually takes a few minutes to get down, 20 at most) and very prone to seasickness. I got acute vertigo (world spinning) immediately after a dive, so maybe not the same thing you have. Did the original ENT check you for BPPV (Benign Positional Paroxysmal Vertigo)? Sometimes the little stones in the inner ear get out of sorts when we're upside down or at weird angles during a dive. I ended up getting diagnosed with idiopathic vertigo, which is basically the doc going .

I will say that some things apparently help me avoid vertigo. Lots of water is very important, as is avoiding fatigue. I am very careful with antihistamines and decongestants because they can have a rebound effect. Lately I have had a lot of success controlling my season allergies (which are more year-round) with two tablets of loratidine / Claritin (20 mg). That's double the recommended dose, talk to your doctor. Good luck! Sounds like you have had good references, hope they are helpful.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

I just want to send a public appreciation for this message. It's truly going above and beyond. Thank you.

Of course! Happy to help.

 

[JasonTan]

Hi,

I got my PADI open water 18m dive certification in June. As part of the course, I did 1 day in the pool, 2 shore dives & 2 open water dives. The dives were amazing and nothing went wrong during or immediately after dive. The only minor 'issue' was I had trouble equalising when we went down for our first shore dive at 10m. My right ear wouldn't equalise- so the instructor and I ascended a few meters, tried again and it equalised fine. I did 1 more shore dive that day and 2 open water dives (max depth 12m , for 20 minutes each dive both days and plenty of surface time between dives) the following day. Everything was fine, no issues on either of the days and I was fine 30 hours until after the dive.

I took a plane back home (4 hour flight) 30 hours after the last dive. (Last dive was Sunday 5pm, I flew back home Tuesday morning around 1am)

Ever since I've landed back home - I've had constant swaying or imbalance. Sometimes it feels like I'm on the boat, most times I'm just dizzy/feel like the ground moves. This happens usually when I'm standing, walking or sitting down, and sometimes when I change my posture during sleep. Its worse when I'm tired/anxious. I've taken a few flights after and it's definitely worse immediately after flights too.

After about 4 days of experiencing this constant symptom - I went to emergency as I panicked. They cleared me out for dcs (only verbal checks no tests) and the ENTs cleared me out for any hearing loss or perforations (through audiometry tests). They said it'll be fine over time and nothing fatal or anything they can see and prescribed me beta histine. I followed up with a few GPs and ENTs and they all couldn't find anything (one even said it was anxiety - no such history and never been an anxious person before this symptom)

It is going to clock over 3 months soon, and I'm still not over this symptom. I'm scared as even though it may not be fatal, it's still affected me considerably. I am finding it hard to work, and gym/surf/ski has all stopped. I just keep feeling this all the time.

Can you please help and suggest some potential solutions? Do you know anyone with similar symptoms ? What do I do???

Thanks for reading. Any advice is appreciated!
H

How are you right now? I'm having similar issues.

 

[Bubblesong]

Another version with room spinning sensation is benign positional vertigo, explained to me as crystals in the inner ear canal jamming the tilt cilia , and can be treated by the Epley Maneuver, a series of head positions that get Crystal to leave. The exact sequence of Epley Maneuver depends on which way the room is spinning. My advice is to google this and give it a try to see if it helps because it is immediate and free of charge.