Reverse Block

[Jasoncassanova]

in two days time i'll be snorkeling/freediving with whale sharks, though i just got cured from my colds, i still have the sniffles, i was wondering if im prone to reverse block?

 

[diver_doug]

You may very well be prone to block and reverse block. I can tell you that, about a year ago, I was in San Diego a few days after my cold subsided and the ear pain I experienced while snorkeling/freediving was punishing. If I just floated on the surface everything was fine, but if I submerged even a few feet I had intense pain in my ears and face. You may want to consider taking some sort of daytime cold medicine to help, but ultimately you may end up having to be content with floating on the surface. But, different people are different so you may not have any of the issues that I did.

 

[Jasoncassanova]

thanks! i was thinking that block or reverse block happens in a deep part of the descend

 

[Debraw]

I had it once on a dive to about 85 feet. I was coming up and about 40 feet I was blocked. Very painful. I stopped and very, very slowly started to ascend. I made it but did not dive again that day. I have used Afrin on trips but that only lasts for a few dives. It has caused some very painful ear trauma up to a week after the trip. I have since started to use swimmer's ear after every dive and that has helped a lot. Descending and Ascending slowly will help your ears a lot. Good luck and don't push it or you will be sorry.

 

[Hank49]

in two days time i'll be snorkeling/freediving with whale sharks, though i just got cured from my colds, i still have the sniffles, i was wondering if im prone to reverse block?

A gauge I use is popping my ears on land. If I can suck in and pop them (freeing a reverse block) and blow out and make them pop, I'm good to go. If there is any difficulty going in or out, I don't do any free diving deeper than 10 feet.
Scuba with a reverse block gives you the luxury of going up slow, or even descending to suck in and free the block. Free diving, you're in big trouble since you have very limited time to get to the surface.

 

[Jasoncassanova]

thanks guys, i thought reverse block was only prone to scuba diving

 

[parrothead600]

I have experenced reverse block in a 12' deep pool. I was starting to get a cold but since I could equalize, I chose to try my scuba equipment in the pool anyway. It only took a couple of minutes for it to work out, but I'm not sure what the outcome would have been if I could not wait it out.

 

[cmburch]

I have had the problem without any signs of a cold, allergy, sniffles, nasel congestion. On airplanes it is like someone slowly drilling a pencil between my eyes on one side of the eyebrow. On SCUBA like the bones are cracking outward. I have had blood in my mask also. SCUBA just slow down and allow pressure to release. Freediving I get some bubbling, popping, squeaking noises or feeling? that actually feels good in my ear and sinus area. I have been prescribed antibiotics and other meds. Had my sinuses scanned.

What works best for me. Time released Sudafed (I think it's called Novafed). And Afrin - be careful - it can have reverse effects if overused. I carry in my dive bag, glovebox, and carryon bag.

No problems diving, planes, mountain driving the last few years. Other than the ear bubbling feeling/noises? when surfacing sometimes when freediving.

Freediving equalize as I go down, so the pressure in the sinuses must be released when surfacing.

If there are problems, it will usually first be not able to equalize while decending which will limit a freediver before it comes to reverse block.