Yet another ear issue... vertigo on ascent

[wmspdi]

I have developed a problem with vertigo on ascent. Unless I ascend VERY SLOWLY everything starts spinning. If I decend a just a few feet I can usually make it stop if it has not progressed too far, then I can attempt the ascent again. If I just just keep going up the vertigo continues all the way to the surface followed by a nasty bout of sea sickness. Sometimes I can hear a squealing sound from the left ear canal. The problem seems to be more prevelent within 20 to 30 feet below the surface. Although I did experience it in Cozumel at 70 feet when a current started to lift me up from my planned depth.

Taking Bonine before the dives, and following a 15 ft per min (or less) ascent rate usually keeps the issue from occuring, but I would like to know what is going on, and if there is a way to cure the problem.

Backround info: I am 52 years old, male, a little over weight. No recent colds although, although I do suffer from sinus problems during the winter months, and I have experienced a few nasty sinus infections in the past. I have also noticed that as I have gotton older I am a little more sensitive to motion sickness.

Any infomation would be welcome.

 

[TSandM]

This is almost certainly alternobaric vertigo, where the ears are equalizing at different rates and you are therefore getting different information from the inner ear on each side (which controls balance). The squealing sound from the left ear is another clue -- The noise is almost certainly turbulent air flow through the Eustachian tube, indicative of some degree of obstruction.

Obstruction can be due to swelling as a result of infections in the sinuses or throat, allergic symptoms, weight gain, or any kind of increase in mass in the back of the throat. If you have previously dived without this problem, I would HIGHLY recommend a visit with an ENT physician for a good and thorough examination of your throat and an evaluation of any related symptoms.

 

[DiveTub]

Yea I get it as well, so much so I have had a couple of barotraumas on ascents that have left me with a healthy tinnitus in my right ear. In my case it is due to a build up of gunk in my Eustachian tubes during the dive, thankfully I don’t get the Seasickness.

My remedy and it works well for me, is on longer deeper dives I pack a couple of Vicks Vapo Drops, just drop them in my mouth about 5mins before ascent and clears the head right up for the trip home.

Might be worth seeing an ENT just being on the safe side though.

Cheers
Chriso

 

[wmspdi]

Point taken... I have scheduled an appointment with an ENT specialist for this Thursday. Hopefully there is a quick and/or easy fix before I dive at Whitestar this weekend. It's too bad they just can't "Roto Rooter" my Eustachian tubes open. Thanks.

 

[Ice9]

Had my first experience with this down in a cenote in Mexico. (Not the best place for a first-time experience). Was no biggie though, because I had read previously about it here. Good thing this board exists or I would have been a tad more freaked out about it!

 

[crpntr133]

My remedy and it works well for me, is on longer deeper dives I pack a couple of Vicks Vapo Drops, just drop them in my mouth about 5mins before ascent and clears the head right up for the trip home.

Cheers
Chriso

I assume that you are talking about a Vicks cough drop type? At either rate this is a neat idea.

 

[doctormike]

I agree that alternobaric vertigo is likely, but one other possibility exists...

Vertigo occurs when one inner ear is stimulated more than the other... basically, your body is being fooled in this situation. Normally, your inner ears help you to stay upright by helping identify your position in space. In all normal motion, both of them are stimulated symmetrically. Therefore, if you somehow just stimulate one (like with the pressure change in alternobaric vertigo), you get the sensation of subjective motion, etc...

Another way of stimulating the inner ear is by squirting cold water into one of the ear canals. This "cold caloric" response is actually used to test inner ear function. If you were to squirt cold water equally into both ears, you theoretically wouldn't get that response.

Therefore, if one ear canal is obstructed with earwax more than the other, and differing amounts of water may enter the ear canals, resulting in assymetric caloric response. So if that's the case, the fix may be even easier! Although I agree that this wouldn't always happen the same way during ascent....

Happy Diving...

Mike