Yet another sinus post. How to deal with mild allergy congestion?

[00wabbit]

I have always got some very mild congestion from allergies. I have 2 dogs and a cat and live near NYC. Most days I am fine, but I sneeze a lot and someways my left nostril is stopped up a bit.

I have had 3-4 occasions when I dive (18 dives so far) where I have got a sinus squeeze. I don't usually have trouble equalizing my ears. The sinus squeeze tends to happen if I ascend 10ft or so and then go back down. It's like the mucus comes loose and then it stops up the system. Twice I have had the bloody mucus nose after a dive.

When on a cruise I took Zyrtec -d and afrin to clear up and that worked well. Coincidentally I was also not around my dogs and out in salty air all the time

Todays dive I had a mild squeeze on the way down that cleared after 20-30 seconds. Then a reverse squeeze on the way up. After the safety stop I stated at 10ft or so until it cleared and I surfaced with a bloody nose.

Obviously this isn't a good situation and I am not getting rid of my pets. Is there something I can do at home to clear out the sinuses. Or is there some sort of prescription allergy meds that can help?

 

[jpbutler]

i used to have that problem alot, my allergies seemed to have calmed down in the last few years, but now i have problems clearing my eustachean tubes. what really works for me is a 12 hour sudofed (the real stuff) about an hour before the dive as well as afrin.
i descend real slow, constantly clearing, and stopping if i have too. i never force it.
i always descend with my head higher then the rest of my body.

jpb

Sent from my GT-P7310 using Tapatalk 2

 

[DocVikingo]

...what really works for me is a 12 hour sudofed (sic) (the real stuff) about an hour before the dive as well as afrin(sic).

Yes, jpbutler, Sudafed-12 Hour w/pseudoephedrine often works well. Afrin has some issues, chief among them the possibility of rebound congestion, and given a complaint of only occasional mild congestion a diver might want to try the Sudafed alone first before adding the spray.


Hi 00wabbit,

In addition to considering the above, you might wish to avoid the concerns that are always present with medications and consider the following Undercurrent side bar on nasal irrigation I did for the May, '08 issue:

"Shooting Saltwater Up Your Nose

Is your nose stuffed up enough that diving isn’t appealing, or even to the point where congestion may dangerously interfere with equalization of the ears?

It may sound a bit zany and gross, but the evidence, both published and anecdotal, largely supports the salubrious effects of saline irrigation on both nasal membrane drying and congestion (e.g., from long airplane flights, breathing hyper-dry scuba gasses and allergens). Such irrigation shrinks the mucus blanket and flushes out the excess, reducing nasal irritation and swelling.

There are scores of salt-based OTC nasal washes on the market such as Sinucleanse, BreathEase and an array of NeilMed products. Many come with a soft syringe. Or you can purchase special tips that attach to oral hygiene devices (e.g., the WaterPik NA-2 Gentle Sinus Rinse).

Many divers choose a simple home remedy that is cheaper and works just as well. Boil two cups of tap water for 10 minutes, stir in one teaspoon of salt (refined sea salt is recommended to avoid additives) and one-quarter teaspoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Adding more salt than recommended can do more harm than good, so don’t overdo it.

After the brew has cooled to lukewarm, draw it into a clean nasal or ear syringe until full, then lean over the sink, squeeze gently and allow the solution to run through the nasal passages. Sniff it in, spit it out, then gently blow your nose. Repeat with the second nostril. Again, don’t overdo it - - one or two treatments a day should be sufficient.

Now go make your next dive.

- - Doc Vikingo"

Regards,

DocVikingo

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.

 

[4dawgma]

Aka-- Self Induced Waterboarding

 

[00wabbit]

Thanks for the reply. My wife has the Neil med contraption. I'll give that a try next time. How many days before should I start using it? The night before, or for a few days to get a good flush?

The congestion I have is minor, but enough that if not dealt with can cause a sinus squeeze that causes some discomfort. It uusually doesn't affect my ears though.

 

[TSandM]

From my own experience, I would start the irrigations at least several days before a proposed dive. It takes a while to rinse all the crud out of the sinus ostia.

 

[gert7to3]

I use a Neil Med irrigator and get a free new one every year at Our World Underwater. I now rarely use Sudafed, though I always preferred the 12 hour dose. I use the irrigator the evening before my diving day and then first thing in the morning on my diving day(s).

If you have chronic, low level allergies, it might help to use loratadine (Claritin) or cetirizine or Nasonex to calm the allergies for a few days before your dive. However, I would yield to TSandM or DocVikingo's opinion of this advice.

I carry Afrin with me when diving, but this would be to resolve a sinus congestion problem resulting from a dive.

 

[DandyDon]

Since you are not getting rid of your pets, you could try a Panasonic air filter.

Are you taking antihistamines? I would think those also important?

 

[00wabbit]

Since you are not getting rid of your pets, you could try a Panasonic air filter.

Are you taking antihistamines? I would think those also important?

i have a Blueair 503 filter. BlueAir 503 Air Purifier | BlueairStore.com It's pretty hardcore. I need to order new filters for it.

I don't take anything regularly. I sneeze occasionally but otherwise I just deal.
Should I take something everyday?

 

[DandyDon]

I don't take anything regularly. I sneeze occasionally but otherwise I just deal.
Should I take something everyday?

Air filters for my Panasonics are pricey, but they don't work well without them. I do vacuum them regularly.

You'd need to ask your physician I guess. I take Pseudoephedrine to deal with congestion, and antihistamines to help prevent the problem. Many people who take one or the other do so because the TV ad sounded good, not knowing the difference between the two. Some antihistamines can make some people drowsy, while others are sold as non-drowsy. Everyone in my family takes both.