Hello. I am in Bonaire and having a strange sinus/equalizing issue. Hope someone can help, so I (maybe) don't have to stop diving for this entire trip or can avoid injury.
For the last couple of weeks, I was freediving in Curacao, with plans to then travel to Bonaire and scuba dive. After going out freediving with an instructor, I decided to practice some shallow (<8m) dives on my own (with a trained friend doing a safety check) to work on issues with my form. One day, I did a lot of these shallow dives (maybe ~25) and had no issue. Then the next day, I decided to do just a few dives, and I developed intense pain in my left upper sinus (above eye). I know how to equalize and was doing so frequently. The pain was minor on my first dive then intense on my second dive, and it persisted for 30 minutes after I surfaced and only got better after I took ibuprofen and applied ice to the sinus.
I rested for a couple of days and then did two more shallow dives, and the same issue repeated itself. So I decided to take off 6 days from diving. Today, in Bonaire, I dived for the first time since I had the problem. I first did two dives free immersion (head down) to ~8m, and I felt some pressure and very mild discomfort in the sinus. I decided to switch to feet first dives, and I did not experience much issue while diving (except maybe a little sinus pressure while ascending). However, when I came out of the water, I had a moderate ache in the left maxillary sinus (under the eye) for about an hour.
Here is where it gets kinda weird. Some hours later, I was watching videos about equalization on my computer, and I decided to practice (dry, of course) along with the videos. While doing so, I developed a splitting pain in the left maxillary sinus, which only went away with ibuprofen and ice.
Anyone have any idea what is happening and how to treat it? It cannot be underwater pressure alone causing this, because I got very severe pain when equalizing above the surface. I have no symptoms of a sinus infection (congestion, etc.). It would be sad to leave Bonaire without diving.
For the last couple of weeks, I was freediving in Curacao, with plans to then travel to Bonaire and scuba dive. After going out freediving with an instructor, I decided to practice some shallow (<8m) dives on my own (with a trained friend doing a safety check) to work on issues with my form. One day, I did a lot of these shallow dives (maybe ~25) and had no issue. Then the next day, I decided to do just a few dives, and I developed intense pain in my left upper sinus (above eye). I know how to equalize and was doing so frequently. The pain was minor on my first dive then intense on my second dive, and it persisted for 30 minutes after I surfaced and only got better after I took ibuprofen and applied ice to the sinus.
I rested for a couple of days and then did two more shallow dives, and the same issue repeated itself. So I decided to take off 6 days from diving. Today, in Bonaire, I dived for the first time since I had the problem. I first did two dives free immersion (head down) to ~8m, and I felt some pressure and very mild discomfort in the sinus. I decided to switch to feet first dives, and I did not experience much issue while diving (except maybe a little sinus pressure while ascending). However, when I came out of the water, I had a moderate ache in the left maxillary sinus (under the eye) for about an hour.
Here is where it gets kinda weird. Some hours later, I was watching videos about equalization on my computer, and I decided to practice (dry, of course) along with the videos. While doing so, I developed a splitting pain in the left maxillary sinus, which only went away with ibuprofen and ice.
Anyone have any idea what is happening and how to treat it? It cannot be underwater pressure alone causing this, because I got very severe pain when equalizing above the surface. I have no symptoms of a sinus infection (congestion, etc.). It would be sad to leave Bonaire without diving.
