World going round and round.

[ghosty_old]

I recently did my Open Water Dives. On two different occasions upon surfacing i became very dizzy and disorientaded. I could actually feel myself getting a little dizzy about 5 or 10 feet from the surface, and by the time i broke the surface the whole world was spinning at 100 miles an hour. It took a good 20 to 30 seconds before my head would clear. My ascent was very slow and controlled, so i'm just wondering if it is because i am not use to breathing clean air or maybe it's something else. Hope it goes away.

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

ghosty,

I've had this happen to me on occasion. The usual cause is alterbaric vertigo. This is caused by unequal pressures within the ears. It commonly occurs an ascent but can occur whenever there is an unequal change in pressure between the two ears.

It usually lasts for a few seconds and then passes.

If the condition recurs frequently, or fails to subside, you should see your ENT.

Hope I'm right and hope this helps.

Larry Stein

 

[DocVikingo]

.... and indeed your description does sound like that may be what is troubling you.

Our board archives contain much information on the causes & treatment of this condition, as well as some pointers on how to deal with it when it occurs during a dive. The archives are accessed by using the "Search" function at the top of the page.

Here is a sample thread on the topic---> http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11115&highlight=alternobaric+vertigo. The comments by our Medical Regulator BillP should prove quite informative.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

OOPS....my "no" finger became paralyzed!

Thanks DV

Larry

 

[DocVikingo]

How could "no" have fallen from your repertoire after all those years of responding to patient's entreaties to forego painful endodontic procedures & expensive cosmetic restorations?

Wink.

DocVikingo

 

[ghosty_old]

DocVikingo once bubbled...
How could "no" have fallen from your repertoire after all those years of responding to patient's entreaties to forego painful endodontic procedures & expensive cosmetic restorations?


HUH!!!

 

[ghosty_old]

Thanks for the info. This ear thing(alternobaric vertigo) sounds correct. Now this was during my open water dives and my equalizing skills were not the best. Seems i was blowing to hard and was actually sqeaking my ears. Doc said i had some minor bleeding and that i would be okay, but that i must practice proper equalization. Just called the LDS and asked them if i would be able to sneak into one of there classes and practice this.They said sure. I leave for the carribean in two weeks so i want to make sure im doing it correctly. Not sure if this is the correct place to ask this but what does it feel or sound like when you equalize your ears the proper way. Is it actually the crackling sound that you hear in your ears when you yawn?. Because i can hear that sound no problem everytime, but i can't get them to do this sound by blowing against my pinched nose. Thanks again for all you help on this matter.

 

[Doc_Sandy]

ghosty once bubbled...
what does it feel or sound like when you equalize your ears the proper way.

Likely a very individual thing - for me it is just a slight "pop" or "click".

For Dr. Stein it is likely more like "ka-ching' !

What do you think Doc_Vikingo?

Sandy

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

DocV, Er...you see what happened is that it was may birthday;-0 . I hit 54 and the "no" finger doesn't work so good.

Doc_Sandy, a physician telling a dentist ka-chink...that's a laugh!:shiner:

Regard,

Larry Stein

 

[Doc_Sandy]

Laurence Stein DDS once bubbled...

Doc_Sandy, a physician telling a dentist ka-chink...that's a laugh!:shiner:

Right - I just hoped you would know I was/am just teasing!

Happy Birthday!

Sandy