Ok, I had my first OW dives this morning and everything went well except one thing. I felt some pretty strong sinus pressure on the bottom (25', no prob clearing ears). I was forced to asend a couple of feet to release the pressure and felt fine. After the three OW dives and on my way home, the pressure started to get to me a bit. Here it is five hours later and the pressure is about 90% gone, thank god, but has me a little concerned. Anyway, is this common, is it dangerous, and how can I relieve the pressure? I do have alergies so I tried Sudafed this mornig but I think I'll pass on the Sudafed for tomorrows final dive. Thanks for the help.
Sinus pressure....?
- Thread starter EDUNER
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Try descending slower to give yourself time to equalize the pressure in the sinuses. As you will recall from your classes a pressure differential while descending is called a squeeze. When ascending its a reverse squeeze. Generally the sinuses equalize "on their own". Pain will be the biggest problem and if its bad enough you won't go very deep. You can get bleeding in the sinuses and potentially you can end up with an infection in the affected sinus.
Make your descents and ascents slow and abort the dive if there is discomfort.
While this is probably not a highly common problem its certainly something that has affected many divers at least occasionally.
Make your descents and ascents slow and abort the dive if there is discomfort.
While this is probably not a highly common problem its certainly something that has affected many divers at least occasionally.
H2Andy
Contributor
yeah, make sure you do a few things:
1. start equalizing your ears before the dive. just get in that habit.
2. equalize at the surface
3. constantly equalize on the way down. if you feel discomfort, you have waited
much too long.
4. once at depth, your ears will "tell you" when you are descending. equalize immediately.
5. if you are ever in pain, immediately ascend a few feet and equalize.
6. if ascending increases the pain, you have a reverse squeeze; descend and equalize. then ascend slowly, equalizing all the way.
1. start equalizing your ears before the dive. just get in that habit.
2. equalize at the surface
3. constantly equalize on the way down. if you feel discomfort, you have waited
much too long.
4. once at depth, your ears will "tell you" when you are descending. equalize immediately.
5. if you are ever in pain, immediately ascend a few feet and equalize.
6. if ascending increases the pain, you have a reverse squeeze; descend and equalize. then ascend slowly, equalizing all the way.
The funny thing is, my ears cleared just fine. I think the problem may have occured on my last assent. The final assent was a Controled Emergency Assent so I did not assend as slowly as I did on the other assents. It is now over 7 hours since the dive and I still feel a small amount of pressure. Hope everything is ok.
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
H2Andy
Contributor
this happens, particularly when you are ascending and desceding a great deal.
a friend of mine was mapping a cave with another friend, and the passage kept going up
and down, from 70 or so feet up to 10 feet, up and down. at one point, my friend's
frien got a horrible squeeze at the top of the "rollercoaster." she tried everything,
but just couldn't clear.
they hit thirds (time to turn around). she just bit the bullet and went down. busted
an ear-drum. can't dive anymore.
these things are simple and small, but they can get you. you're doing the right
thing asking about it and keeping an eye out for trouble.
if you at all feel uncomfortable, you might want to consider postponing your next dive(s) if they involve lots of up and downs, just to take it easy on your ears.
a friend of mine was mapping a cave with another friend, and the passage kept going up
and down, from 70 or so feet up to 10 feet, up and down. at one point, my friend's
frien got a horrible squeeze at the top of the "rollercoaster." she tried everything,
but just couldn't clear.
they hit thirds (time to turn around). she just bit the bullet and went down. busted
an ear-drum. can't dive anymore.
these things are simple and small, but they can get you. you're doing the right
thing asking about it and keeping an eye out for trouble.
if you at all feel uncomfortable, you might want to consider postponing your next dive(s) if they involve lots of up and downs, just to take it easy on your ears.
welcome to the club ,my ow check out dives were murder bloody nose the whole nine yards. some were around 10dives post training my ears started to behave and no more problems
take it in stride do not use drugs tell your instuctor what happen and take your time going down have fun that is what its all about
take it in stride do not use drugs tell your instuctor what happen and take your time going down have fun that is what its all about
H2Andy
Contributor
awesome! way to go 
I am so glad to read your comments because I was beginning to think that I am the only person with this problem. And getting a bit scared.
My ENT does not know what to make of it. I am a 28 year old causasian woman living in Trinidad. He is suggesting surgery. But I feel like I dont know enough about what is happening to me.
I suffer from bad allergies. It has subsided the last 2 years, but if I wear clothes that were not washed or worn for 1 month I sneeze and sneeze until I take it off and put on something freshly washed or worn.
In May 2002. The first time I had this symptom (blood coming down with mucus). After a sever allergic reaction to aspirin my face swelled up. No bleeding yet. I had 2 slits for eyes like a CHinese person and it went down in 3 or 4 days... by the fifth day I was on a plane to Tobago. No bleeding yet. Then I went diving for 20 mins to 30feet. I got out of the water my head feeling weird and within days the bleeding started. It lasted for almost a month. I took Avelox antibiotics. Then the bleeding receeded and eventually stopped.
This brings us to present day. May 2006. While in Orlando... ate sushi for 5 days in a row and thought that was the reason I had a slight swelling on my left side between cheeck and nosebridge. I stopped eating the sushi and it went in 2 days. Going home now. Had terrible pain on the last 1/2 hour (descent) flights Orlando - Miami and Miami - Trinidad. Back 4 days and bleeding started. Have been bleeding for about 12 days and it has receeded a lot. Almost completely stopped. Am on last day of avalox.
I explained all this history to my ENT and he did not link it to the diving and flying. He did not even mention the word "Barotrauma".
Some things I have read are putting me off. (EMAILNG you the articles) I got back the report from the C.T. It said "Right concha bullosa". From looking up "Right concha bullosa" on the internet... it lead me to something called "Barotrauma" which is what I think I experienced.
Here is the C.T. report:
There is marked deviation of the nasal septum convex to the left. No other bony abnormality is seen. Minimal mucosal thickening identifed on the medial and posterior walls of the right maxillary sinus. The walls of the left maxillary sinus are clear. No fluid levels identified. The frontal sinuses are clear. The ethmoid air cells are clear. Marked opacity/opacification of the right side of the sphenoid sinus. Probable large sphenoid sinus polyp. No other focal abnormality is seen. Coronal views through the ostiomeatal complexes shows evidence of mucosal thickening involving the left maxillary sinus infundibulum causing minimal narrowing at this point. A right sided maxillary infundibulum is patent. Distortion of the right side uncinate process and right maxillary infundibulum by the presence of a moderate size right concha bullosa noted. This measure 1.7cm Cranio Caudal x 1cm Transverse x 1.1cm AP. Please Note this is a right-sided concha bullosa. No other focal abnormality identified.
any help or pointing in the right direction would help. I don't want to think that I can never dive or fly again.
Have you ever heard of anyone having this problem?
Thanks!
My ENT does not know what to make of it. I am a 28 year old causasian woman living in Trinidad. He is suggesting surgery. But I feel like I dont know enough about what is happening to me.
I suffer from bad allergies. It has subsided the last 2 years, but if I wear clothes that were not washed or worn for 1 month I sneeze and sneeze until I take it off and put on something freshly washed or worn.
In May 2002. The first time I had this symptom (blood coming down with mucus). After a sever allergic reaction to aspirin my face swelled up. No bleeding yet. I had 2 slits for eyes like a CHinese person and it went down in 3 or 4 days... by the fifth day I was on a plane to Tobago. No bleeding yet. Then I went diving for 20 mins to 30feet. I got out of the water my head feeling weird and within days the bleeding started. It lasted for almost a month. I took Avelox antibiotics. Then the bleeding receeded and eventually stopped.
This brings us to present day. May 2006. While in Orlando... ate sushi for 5 days in a row and thought that was the reason I had a slight swelling on my left side between cheeck and nosebridge. I stopped eating the sushi and it went in 2 days. Going home now. Had terrible pain on the last 1/2 hour (descent) flights Orlando - Miami and Miami - Trinidad. Back 4 days and bleeding started. Have been bleeding for about 12 days and it has receeded a lot. Almost completely stopped. Am on last day of avalox.
I explained all this history to my ENT and he did not link it to the diving and flying. He did not even mention the word "Barotrauma".
Some things I have read are putting me off. (EMAILNG you the articles) I got back the report from the C.T. It said "Right concha bullosa". From looking up "Right concha bullosa" on the internet... it lead me to something called "Barotrauma" which is what I think I experienced.
Here is the C.T. report:
There is marked deviation of the nasal septum convex to the left. No other bony abnormality is seen. Minimal mucosal thickening identifed on the medial and posterior walls of the right maxillary sinus. The walls of the left maxillary sinus are clear. No fluid levels identified. The frontal sinuses are clear. The ethmoid air cells are clear. Marked opacity/opacification of the right side of the sphenoid sinus. Probable large sphenoid sinus polyp. No other focal abnormality is seen. Coronal views through the ostiomeatal complexes shows evidence of mucosal thickening involving the left maxillary sinus infundibulum causing minimal narrowing at this point. A right sided maxillary infundibulum is patent. Distortion of the right side uncinate process and right maxillary infundibulum by the presence of a moderate size right concha bullosa noted. This measure 1.7cm Cranio Caudal x 1cm Transverse x 1.1cm AP. Please Note this is a right-sided concha bullosa. No other focal abnormality identified.
any help or pointing in the right direction would help. I don't want to think that I can never dive or fly again.
Have you ever heard of anyone having this problem?
Thanks!
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