Sinus problem?

[tboxcar]

I'm scheduled to be on a liveaboard starting on May 27th, the last few mornings I have woken up with sinus pain, not bad, and I can clear my ears OK, but still fee a bit of pressure when bending over and such, been taking some Sudafed/sinus medicine. The pollen is really bad where I"m out now maybe this is the cause. Does anyone have any advice for a cure or will it cure itself? Is there anything a doctor can do? I just hate the thought of getting in the water and getting down the first 10 meters and feeling pain after waiting for this trip for almost 5 months. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

Nothing worse than clogged sinuses when diving! I use prescription Flonase nasal inhaler for allergies (great stuff with no side effects-takes a few days to kick in) and supplement it with sudafed decongestant which I take before a dive. It's very important to note the decongestant cannot wear off during the dive or you'll be in big trouble. There is a 12 hour version available.

Good Luck!

 

[scubamickey]

I hope you are taking some sort of antihistamine if you are allergic to pollen. Pseudoephedrine won't do anything for your allergies.
I use Nasacort and it works great. Prescription only though.

 

[tboxcar]

I have never been diagnosed as allergic, last week I was running a small tractor and was going through pine trees where literally 'clouds of pollen' were coming off, I felt no real ill effects and just suspect it was that. Also I work in high altitude (above 8,000ft) and it really wrecks havoc with the dry conditions on the sinuses, nose and throat. When I first learned to dive I was warned not to use antihistamines during my dive, because of the fact that they may wear off during my dive, so that is always a concern. Hopefully, I will just 'come around' and get better!!!

 

[divemistress]

ai yi yi!

you've (probably) invested a small fortune in this upcoming liveaboard trip. so, just to be on the safe side, invest a few bucks in a visit to an ENT to make sure there is nothing wrong with your sinuses. or to see that if there is something wrong, it can be treated before you go!

dm
the queen of sinus pain -- even before taking up diving
so why did i take up diving?????

 

[occrider]

Yea what divemistress said. Even better, go to an ENT doctor who's intimate with what diving entails. Contact DAN and they'll refer you to a physician with dive medicine training:

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/physicians.asp

 

[tboxcar]

That's not a bad idea, currently I'm using nasal spray and sudafed sinus pills, I know none of these will really cure it, I'm hoping it cures itself, I'm in no pain, but I can only imagine what will happen when I go diving and it's not clear!

 

[AggieDad]

ENT ENT ENT ENT ENT ENT ENT ENT ENT ENT ENT ENT ENT

Oh I think that you should go to a ENT by the way. Call DAN, I did and they pointed me in the direction of a diving doctor (not an ENT - but I told him over the phone what I was experiencing and he sent me to an ENT), they were very helpful. Long story short. I was a Sudafed junky for the last thirty years of flying. I started diving less than two years ago and that was the straw that broke the camels back. I could not clear my right ear on a dive in Cozumel. Great viz but when you are at 10 feet and the reef is at 80....it is hard to do macro photo's.
I had a deviated septum and chronic sinus infection. I did the surgery last Tuesday and already I am 100% better. He wants me to stay out of the water for a month.
I have permanent hearing/ear damage due to flying with a cold in 1983. The ringing does not overcome the voices but they do compete. eyebrow

My family doctor took me off of Sudafed due to a rise in blood pressure and put me on Claritin. I will probably have to stay on that and use an infection specific (to me) wash the rest of my life.

BTW, Go see an ENT!!!

 

[divemistress]

hey tboxcar,

four days and counting till your big trip, right? so tell us: DID YA GO SEE AN ENT? how do you feel?

dm

 

[tboxcar]

Well it's been over two months now, I never did go and see an ENT, I bought some nose/sinue drops (saline solution) and I did 20 dives in 4 days, out of all 20 dives I had only one problem with equalizing, but that had to do with resurfacing several times to help another diver who's tank 'had not been turned on'. Interesting as before this trip I thought that diving 5 times a day, was not physically possible (at least for me). I was pretty 'water logged' by the end and felt a little uncomfortable (tender) around the ears, but all in all, it went well and the diving was 'the best'