U/W Vertignousnes During Ascending

[Diaz]

Hello Fellow Dive Pros,

I would like you guys to introduce you to problem related to diving physiology. For the last couple of dives I experienced really strong underwater vertigos, which appear during ascending only. The vertigos get stronger usually when the water is colder with temperature about 16 – 18 degrees Celsius. In warmer waters, like these in Caribbean, the vertigos are almost imperceptible. Second thing is that vertigos appear at the greater depths mostly during deep dives. I visited four physicians. including one with sport medicine specialization, but they seem to doesn’t know the jack **** about my problem, and the vertigos still affect me till now. In my opinion the main reason is the pressure in the inner ear, which affects the nervous system of the ear and leads to vertigos. Obvious – during ascend the pressure gets greater. this case can happen only when the Eustachian Tube is blocked by the otopolypus, and decompressed air has no way to escape from inner ear during ascending.
Let me know guys if one of you had to deal ever with such a problem, or hear about this problem. Is there any medical treatment for this kind of ear problem ???
I’m looking forward for your posts and answers.

Greetings and thanx to all of you !!!

Thomas

 

[fisherdvm]

This is a clip from the Amer inst for hearing about ear barotrauma and effect on the inner ear. What you are mentioning is likely the second theory - excess air and pressure on the middle ear, exerting pressure on the inner ear, during ascend.

Quote: Inner Ear
Inner ear injury during descent is directly related to impaired ability to equalize the middle ear pressure on the affected side. Sudden, large pressure changes in the middle ear can be transmitted to the inner ear, resulting in damage to the delicate mechanisms of the inner ear. This can cause severe vertigo and even deafness. More material about inner ear damage is available here. Two mechanisms are theorized to explain inner ear barotrauma: the "implosive" and the "explosive" mechanisms.

The implosive mechanism theory (see Figure 4) involves clearing of the middle ear during descent. The pressure is transmitted from an inward bulging eardrum, causing the ossicles to be moved toward the inner ear at the oval window. This pressure wave is transmitted through the inner ear and causes an outward bulging of the other window, the round window membrane. If a diver performs a forceful Politzer maneuver and the eustachian tube suddenly opens, a rapid increase in middle ear pressure occurs. This causes the ossicles to suddenly return to their normal positions, causing the round window to implode.


Figure 4: Effect of Politzer maneuver



The explosive theory (see Figure 5) suggests that when a diver attempts to clear a blocked middle ear space by performing a Politzer maneuver and the eustachian tube is blocked and locked, a dramatic increase in the intracranial pressure occurs. Since the fluids surrounding the brain communicate freely with the inner ear fluids, this pressure may be transmitted to the inner ear. A sudden rise in the inner ear pressure could then cause the round or oval window membrane to explode.

 

[fisherdvm]

I have found that I have problem with barotrauma on ascend, not descent. My situation is caused by hypothermia (even many on this board disagree on the term hypothermia).

Essentially, when my body gets chilled, my nasal mucous membrane becomes congested. Warm weather diving does not affect me, but if I get chilled, congestion appears.

An antihistamine, claritin, works well for me. I am ambivalent about afrin - as it is nasty stuff when you tilt your head back. Many have reservation about sudafed, but controlled studies shown it to be effective in air plane induced baroinjury.

Check with your doctor before trying any of these over the counter products.