Safe to dive with minor cold?

[jrdivagrl]

I am just starting to get over a minor cold and i have my advanced scuba class this weekend at Dutch springs. Is it ok to dive with a minor cold, and if so are decongestants/medicine safe? Thanks!

 

[Diver0001]

Red flag on the decongestants . If you can't clear without them then you can't dive. To do so would be risking getting a reverse block. I've had one in my sinuses and I can tell you from experience that the pain is so bad that you seriously start to consider the merits of drowning rather than surfacing.

For the rest a minor cold isn't a big deal the main thing is that you can clear without drugs. If I dive with a minor cold it causes me to cough a lot from the dry air.

R..

 

[jrdivagrl]

I am able to breath almost normally through my nose and my mouth. My sinuses are pretty good and only hurt when i put a large amount of pressure. but it doesnt hurt that much. nothing wrong with my ears at all...thoughts?

 

[simbrooks]

Its the pressure that you put in your sinuses and cant relieve due to mucus that blocks them that is the problem with a reverse squeeze in your nose. Similar thing for the ears i guess. I have had very minor reverses, due to allergies not a cold, but same kind of results - very painful, tough to get around in any way except for taking it very slowly to ascend and hoping! The fact that you can barely breathe through your nose might indicate a reasonable amount of mucus that could potentially cause problems.

Cant you just reschedule the class? Even though its annoying to not dive and to not complete the class, i would rather that than the pain of a reverse squeeze.

 

[Diver0001]

...snip......thoughts?

50/50. Can you put it off?

R..

 

[Quarrior]

You've been given a lot of good and detailed answers. Here's my simple one. I wouldn't dive. I have canceled dives before when I've just woken up with plugged sinuses. There's no shame in it.

 

[jrdivagrl]

unforutantly i cant cancel my dive because my LDS wont give me a refund (bummer) I missed school today in hope of getting better faster. I am drinking lots of fluids, eating oragnes and soup, and taking some medicine when i get up and when i go to bed. Im pretty sure I'll be ok and if i get up there and on my first dive i dont do well i will quit. But im at least going to get up there and give it a try! Thanks for all the great suggestions!

 

[ShakaZulu]

Red flag on the decongestants . If you can't clear without them then you can't dive. To do so would be risking getting a reverse block. I've had one in my sinuses and I can tell you from experience that the pain is so bad that you seriously start to consider the merits of drowning rather than surfacing.

For the rest a minor cold isn't a big deal the main thing is that you can clear without drugs. If I dive with a minor cold it causes me to cough a lot from the dry air.

R..

This is the reason right here.........if you can't clear it, you must go back down and clear. Instead of blowing, close your nose and try to breath air instead of blowing.

 

[Diver0001]

unforutantly i cant cancel my dive because my LDS wont give me a refund (bummer) I missed school today in hope of getting better faster. I am drinking lots of fluids, eating oragnes and soup, and taking some medicine when i get up and when i go to bed. Im pretty sure I'll be ok and if i get up there and on my first dive i dont do well i will quit. But im at least going to get up there and give it a try! Thanks for all the great suggestions!

Good luck! Keep your ascents slow and controlled.

R..

 

[Bob3]

Ditto on most of the above, though I'd have a serious discussion with the shop about allowing you to make the dive at a later date, rather than a refund.
Any shop worth doing business with will give you a pass; if not, it's time to look elsewhere when it comes time to drop wads of $$.
Oh yah, eat lotsa garlic. The shop folks will not want to argue with you for very long.