vertigo problem

[eelpout]

I amde a mistake of posting this on Dr. Deco's forum. I am posting it here in hopes of getting a better answer than slow down and equalize. Here was my original post.

"I have been diving for over 30 years and in the last few years I have experienced vertigo while underwater. It usually happens on ascent. It lasts about 5-10 seconds but makes me feel uncomfortable while I am doing my decompression stops. This past weekend I was planning a deco-Trimix dive to 210" and I got vertigo on the way down from 130' -160'. I called the dive and on ascent it came back twice , once at 140' and once at 100'. Dving is my profession need advice.
Thanks in advance! Jim"

As I mentioned it usually occurs on ascent. This si th efirst time it has happened on descent. I suspect it is a middle ear problem, but I need to now what can bo done to get rid of it.

Thanksin advance again!
Jim

 

[Bob3]

#1: Check with your favorite ear doctor.
#2: I get reverse blockages due to "surfer's ear", where bone thickening causes the Eustachian tube to become pinched off, making the middle ear mischief as you described.

 

[BillP]

I amde a mistake of posting this on Dr. Deco's forum. I need to now what can bo done to get rid of it.

Hey Jim, sorry to change the subject, but maybe you can help me out. I have an underwater obstruction that I need to get rid of. I made the mistake of asking a guy who does home demolition about it, and all he would tell me is that it probably needs to be removed! Big help he was. I asked some professional divers about it and they asked all kinds of crazy questions like, "What is the obstruction, where is it, how deep is it, how far off shore is it, what is the accesss to the area like, what are the local regulations?" and on, and on, and on. (Some of them even wanted to see the obstruction before they would answer me!) Man, I don't know all that stuff, I just want to know what to do about the obstruction. Can you tell me exactly what I need to do to get rid of it? Hey, thanks man.

Sorry to kid you, but Dr. Deco and Bob3's answers are right on. No one can tell by a brief post on an internet discussion board exactly what your problem is and what you can do yourself to get rid of it. It just isn't as simple as someone answering, "Underwater vertigo has this one cause, and here is the one solution that works for everybody." Start with a doctor who specializes in ears and go from there, buddy.

If you're interested, you can read a lot on the board concerning what others have said about vertigo at:

http://www.scubaboard.com/search.php?searchid=1568438

Bill

 

[eelpout]

Thanks for the replies. I will go see an ear doctor now.

Jim

 

[BillP]

Thanks for the replies. I will go see an ear doctor now.

Jim

I hope that it works out for you. Let us know what the doctor finds.

Bill

 

[NJDevil]

I hope that it works out for you. Let us know what the doctor finds.

Bill

This might sound silly but someone I knew used to carry ankle weights in his BC pockets. When he got to the deco stop he cliped them onto his ankles helping him into a more standing position at the deco stop.

He claimed
1- it didnt tire out his legs because he didnt wear them until the deco stop.
2- it helped prevent him from getting vertigo being in a more natural state than being off balanced like an astronaut.

Worth a try.

 

[BillP]

Howdy NJDevil:

You're suggestion isn't silly at all. It helps illustrate that there are many many causes for vertigo (as also evidenced by the 130+ threads already on the board in the Diving Medicine section that mention "vertigo".). Some people do develop vertigo because of their position in the water, and benefit from ascending in a more upright position. Good thought. But ellpout is a professional diver, and I'll betcha he's already thought of that.

Just my 2¢,

Bill