Sinus pain, followed by blood in eye.

[The Chairman]

Yesterday I did a fairly short and shallow dive in Ginnie's Ballroom using sidemount (35 fsw/30 minutes). Everything was going swimmingly but I noticed pressure above the eyebrow during my five minute shallow stop at 15 fsw. It did not seem too bad until I surfaced, where it became a pronounced pain. I had a bit of orange snot (I assume blood) when I surfaced but there were 2 1/2 hours until the next dive. I tried to ignore it, thinking it was some reverse block, but it got steadily worse. At one point I thought I felt a little pop, and it eased just a tad and then started building again.

At the dive site, I was debating whether to splash or not, there was a little noise behind my eyes and I got a mouth full of blood and snot (it made me gag and vomit). The pain was gone immediately, just like the resolution of a reverse block but I decided not to dive. I didn't feel congested, but next week is DEMA and I con't need complications. I did have a fellow instructor check pupil size and they were fine. I waited for the divers to do their Galaxy dive, sat around the campfire and drove home.

This morning, I noticed that I still have the slightest discomfort behind the eyes but now I have a red streak in the right eye. I have an opthamologist appointment at 3:00 this afternoon (Sunday). Anything I need to ask/say here? It doesn't appear to have affected my vision, and I don't know if this is a part of the same issue or if I am being overly cautious.

 

[annasea]

Sorry for your discomfort (and sorry for me reading your graphic description while eating breakfast ).

Good luck with this and please post back with the outcome.

 

[Wildbill]

Wow Pete, that's a pretty scary story. I think you made the right decision not to do the second dive. It's good that you are able to see a Dr. on a Sunday, and I'm no expert but it seems that the pressure around your eyes may have busted a small blood vessel. But it needs to be checked out anyway, eye problems are nothing ignore. much like heart problems.

Let us know what the doctor says....... You may have to go to an ENT specialtist to determine what caused all the pain.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Pete, you should probably see an ENT, too. Your description is consistent with frontal sinus squeeze. Decongestants can be used for acute (and preventative) treatment. Neti pots can also be helpful. Unfortunately, it is possible to be congested and not know it prior to a dive. You made the right choice to opt out of that second dive.

Sometimes an event like this can lead to an infection of the involved sinus. Watch out for increased swelling/pressure and purulent discharge. If this happens, antibiotics are in your future.

Sorry to hear about your experience. Get well soon.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Pete, what bubble said and I also think you are looking at reverse block type of injury. From vivid personal memory nearly the exact same symptoms except my eye was swollen shut, right side of face paralyzed, and numbness & tingling took 2 full weeks to resolve. But yes watch out for ANY sign of infection. I know they do not like to do it but a preventive course of antibiotics may not be a bad move.

 

[The Chairman]

Thanks guys, I am heading there now!

 

[CheddarChick]

Make sure you keep us updated...

 

[The Chairman]

Way cool... no big problem. The hemorhage in the eye probably happened from a sneeze and it's not related to the sinus pain. It will clear up on it's own. I went to a Centra care at his recommendation and they have put me on two antibiotics and an antihistamine. One I swallow, the other is swabbed in my nose. They have put no limits on me diving. Kewl!

 

[TSandM]

Man, I hate stories like this. I don't read anything that suggests that you had an acute bacterial sinusitis. You had a reverse block, pretty clearly, which implies congestion and occlusion of the drainage pathways from the sinus, but that DOESN'T mean you had or have a bacterial infection. Unless you had purulent (green or brown) sinus drainage prior to the event, or fever, or a history of chronic purulent sinusitis, they jumped the gun on antibiotics. This is why we have so many resistant bacteria in the world now!

(Pete, I'm not mad at you -- I'm mad at your doctors.)

 

[The Chairman]

Lynne,

he cited the "orange" that preceded the whole event as the reason for the antibiotics. I just took it as blood thinned out by the mucous, but he took a sample to culture. and will let me know if there is anything. I see this as a knee jerk reaction to that swine flu.