What could this be?

[Web Monkey]

I'm not a doctor and don't play one on TV, but I did drive by a hospital on the way to work, but if it doesn't go away, you should probably see one.

Terry

Thanks for the replies and the tips. But it still doesn't address my biggest question/issue. Why did I get a headache that I still have today?

Do any of the medical pros have any insight into this?

Thanks,
David

 

[CelticRavenVA]

That was a good piece.....and good advice for a five year old.

...

Not to say it isn't excellent and, apparently, time tested. However, the prerequisite for a diver is to LIKE salt water in the first place; to float, to swim underwater, to open the eyes underwater. A danger signal is when a kid insists on nose plugs or ear plugs.

Actually you would be amazed how many adults have a tendendcy to panic when their face is exposed to water. (Yes I actually taught adults to swim too) Actually much more then kids, IMHO, because most of them haven't been swimming in years when they learn to scuba dive. I had a much larger problem with adults being exposed to this then I ever did the kids. You would also be surprise how many people adults and kids alike have a tendency to breath through there nose and mouth at the same time when they should only breath thought their mouth as in scuba diving.

As I stated in my post I am not a doctor.... all medical reasons aside (well mostly) yeah any tendency to hold your nose usually comes from a fear or sucking water in thtrough it. We are of course assuming there are not ENT issues.

Yoda and I had a few PM's, and I did suggest a doctor if he wasn't better extreamly rapidly. He mentioned he had had the headache for 2 days. (Didn't realize that while typing my post) While at my doctor the other day, he mentioned to me that it is possible to actually break small blood vessels around the sinuses with shock exposure like that, which was kind of a surprise to me.

But, my post was more a way for him to get used to having his face in the water and exposed. Again no doctor here....

 

[suika]

No -offense, but how did you get through your OW, AOW and Nitrox without being able to clear your mask properly?

 

[yoda4x4]

Ok, let me answer some of your questions...

First, I can because I can do a mask clear/removal doesn't mean that I'm comfortable or great at it. Hence, that's why I'm trying to PRACTICE and get comfortable with it. If I was, I would have less of a tendency to keep up with it.

The idea of water on my face doesn't thwart me. I've grown up swimming underwater and am usually referred to as a fish. The only thing which has become different is that I usually don't open my eyes now for fear that my contacts will float out (I'm pretty blind without them). But I will say that not seeing underwater isn't a pleasant thought. My biggest problem is that when I go to clear the mask by blowing air out of my nose, sometimes nothing comes out. It's like as if something is blocking my nose off. And when that happens, it makes me very uncomfortable and I start to panic. I've since been able to talk myself into a calmer state (mind you I'm still not totally calm).

Some other things... No I'm not claustrophobic (sp???). No acid reflux either. I do have minor allergies to the normal stuff. And as a result, my ears do get affected slightly. I usually take an allergy pill (non-drowsy of course) to help this. I think that when I used to run, when I was out of stape I used to get cramps in my sides.

My reply is getting me thinking... Could my mask, specifically the nose pocket, be blocking my nose from letting air out??? Maybe I should try a different mask... hmmm. What do you think?

I think that's it. Sorry so long. BTW, the headache was gone after day 2.

Thanks all,
David

 

[Mako Mark]

It's like as if something is blocking my nose off. And when that happens, it makes me very uncomfortable and I start to panic.

Something is blocking your nose off... It is called the anti drowning reflex.

I notice it a lot with people that have mask problems, that as their stress levels rise, so too does the lung volume. This forces the head slightly back, the water in the mask enters farther up the nostrils, and your natural human instinct not to breathe while underwater kicks in.

A lot of instructors teach "look up then exhale through the nose"

I teach "look down, start the exhalation, then look up to finish it".

When I figured that out as an instructor, I virtually stopped having students that couldnt do this skill. Looking up makes mask clearing more difficult.


Hope that helps.

 

[Bretagne]

the water temp was ~ 53°F

It can partly explain the difficulty to blow by the nose. The colder the temperature, the stronger the anti-drowning reflex.
In the quarry where I passed my CMAS ** certification, they do allow or forbid the mask removal exercise depending of the water temperature.

 

[pammyk]

Could the problem with your mask clearing issue and not being able to exhale through your nose be due to your mask being too tight. I still have issues with it and don't like doing it and since I loosened up my mask it seems to be much easier. Mind you...I still don't enjoy feeling the water near my nose. I don't have a problem at all when a little water gets in my mask. That seems to always happen. I'm doing my OWC this weekend...June 26th and 27th and am not looking forward to removing my mask in a lake that is about 62 degrees...but I know that some how I will get through this. I want this really badly. I'm going to Ft. Lauderdale with the LDS next week and Cabo San Lucas in July.....Wish me luck!!!!!