Very Dizzy on Acsent?

[bubblejunkie]

Sometimes I get very dizzy when I goto acsend, usually don't were a hood, and am positively not going to fast sometimes just a few feet of the bottom. I've been diving 3-4 days a week lately, do my ears need to dry out? Yesterday I had this happen on the second dive and it was very bad. Should I be concerned? There is no pain, just very dizzy. Thanks alot for any info! Yesterday I was diving in 50 feet.

 

[MechDiver]

Your ears are not equalizing at the same rate and causing vertigo. Been there, done that.
It may just be a stuffy head, or indicate something more. I would see an ENT who knows diving and get a real opinion.

MD

 

[sparky30]

The same thing happens to me from time to time... I don't think its anything major to worry about.. Basically your ears arent' equalizing evenly causing a nasty case of vertigo in the process...
I get it occasionally on deeper dives while ascending on the line.. I just basically stop and allow the "slow" ear to catch up..

 

[Bob3]

I get the same thing more often as not, I agree with the other respondents about the ear equailzation thing.
Just take it as slow as you need to & hang on.

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

Hi bubblejunkie,

Sounds like alternobaric vertigo. It is caused by unequal pressures within the middle ears. It's usually a minor problem but if it persists, you may want an ENT to check it out.

We all probably have experienced it at one time or another.

Larry Stein

 

[DocVikingo]

I concur that this sounds like alternobaric vertigo.

Should you be concerned? Yes, as attacks of vertigo underwater can entail safety risks for obvious reasons, and the ear that is causing the problem may be at risk for reverse squeeze, a condition where it does not easily equalize on ascent with much resultant pain, and if not eventually equalized can cause serious damage.

Often times if a diver descends several feet, swallows, waits for the vertigo to pass, and then reascends very gently he will be alright.

An ENT consult may be prudent.

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[landlocked]

My right ear is always more difficult to clear on the decent and I can almost always experience a little verigo on ascending. I have never worried alot about it. When I get dizzy, I just slow down or stop and wait for the slow ear to catch up. It always catches up in a second or two and has never given me any amount of pain on the ascent. The up side is that it has the effect of keeping my ascents nice and slow. I have carefully played with it a little in the pool to see if it can become dangerous as in totally disorienting. While disconcerting and definately undesirble the vertigo has never been disabling. Besides, being old and bored, a little controlled buzz is kind of fun! (Just kidding, sort of.)

Disclaimer: Um... this post is merely to show some commiseration and is not to imply that I have any idea what I am talking about or that your ears are my ears.

 

[rdriver]

When I get it it always seems like it is at t he last few feet before breaking the surface, no pain in the ears or sinuses. I have to agree with Landlocked I too have played around with it and when it starts I sometimes just close my eye momentarily and remember to get buoyant, and hang on and enjoy the ride...... In my case it seldom lasts over about 5 seconds I know though while it's happening to you, it seems like an eternity.
Rob

 

[Amanda]

I used to have the same problem, just feeling a bit dizzy when ascending. Never really worried, since someone told me it was a matter of ears not equalizing at the same spped.

BUT on a dive (approx. 1 year ago) I had the worst diving experience ever. I had this dizziness getting stronger and stronger, so I stopped the ascent, signaled my buddy that something was wrong with aqualizing. I stopped and waited, but even though I stayed at exactly the same depth, the dizziness became pain.

I was loosing equilibrium, I couldn't go shallower nor deeper, everything was swirling around me; and I nearly passed out ! Took me (believe me) 30 minutes to be able to get back to the surface, trying to bear with the pain (thank God I'm not a big air-consumer )... Worst dive in my whole life.

My diving doc told me it was a problem of ears not equalizing at the same speed, and he adviced that I should take great care of them (i.e. rinse them with bottled water straight after sufacing, using some kind of spray on a weekly basis, etc)

I think you should be careful about that, cause this "little dizziness problem" I underestimated looks a lot like yours, and it's not something fun.

 

[TheDarknessLord]

I notice that some time I have problems with my ears when I move my face from one side to the other. I feel that water come inside...