Should I scuba dive with allergies? Spooked.
June 21, 2018 2:56 AM Subscribe
I am intending to do my PADI Open Water Diver certification next Monday but have been struck with allergies. With medication, is it still safe to do this?
The reason I ask this question here and not the diving school itself is because I paid the full amount before I got to the part in the guide that said 'if you have allergies never scuba dive, even with medication.' Since coming back to the UK in the last week I've been attacked with bad hayfever. But I'm so keen!
When I did the dreaded Google search, I found
1) A forum with several divers saying they just take meds and often the dives actually help clear their sinuses
2) A 'cautionary' thread from 2008 where a diver came up seeming fine then dropped dead. Lots of mucus stemming from hayfever was found in his lungs apparently.
So any divers on here got any advice for me? I have been really looking forward to doing this . I was planning to clear out my sinuses with a hot bowl of tea tree oil and antihistamines each morning pre-dive. Desperate times...
The reason I ask this question here and not the diving school itself is because I paid the full amount before I got to the part in the guide that said 'if you have allergies never scuba dive, even with medication.' Since coming back to the UK in the last week I've been attacked with bad hayfever. But I'm so keen!
When I did the dreaded Google search, I found
1) A forum with several divers saying they just take meds and often the dives actually help clear their sinuses
2) A 'cautionary' thread from 2008 where a diver came up seeming fine then dropped dead. Lots of mucus stemming from hayfever was found in his lungs apparently.
So any divers on here got any advice for me? I have been really looking forward to doing this . I was planning to clear out my sinuses with a hot bowl of tea tree oil and antihistamines each morning pre-dive. Desperate times...
I asked for my earlier response to be deleted, so here's my modified recommendation: just ask the dive centre, earlier rather than later. I will not be surprised if they are flexible (all the dive centres I've been to have been understanding about such things, especially for a beginner), and can advise on postponing till the hayfever goes down. Your instructor might also be able to advise on, for example, signs to watch out for.
posted by tavegyl at 4:26 AM on June 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by tavegyl at 4:26 AM on June 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
(IANYDI, IANAD, I am a person with hella allergies and have gone diving with and without symptoms, on and off allergy meds)
The major risk here is not so much death as a seriously unpleasant experience; if you have any sinus congestion at the surface, it's going to feel a lot worse as you descend. If you're doing your certification dives in the UK, the water's likely to be pretty chilly; doing a quarry dive one spring in 6mm-wetsuit-required temps with minimal congestion prior to descent gave me, I do not exaggerate, the worst sinus headache of my life. Do not recommend. You're also more likely to have trouble equalising your ears, which can lead to more pain (and ear damage). There's a pretty high likelihood you'd end up unable to complete the dive, if you're congested, simply because of the ear pain in the first 3 meters or so of the descent. Pseudoephedrine (the real meth-precursor Sudafed Decongestant, not anything with phenylephrine) is the gold standard for people with moderate, chronic congestion when diving, but is contraindicated if you're ever diving with Nitrox or other specialty mixes rather than plain old compressed air -- not that you will be for cert dives, though.
If your allergies aren't daily and chronic, but you just get flareups here and there, you can certainly dive and have fun! But I'd look into rescheduling for now. Maybe consult with an allergist or ENT doc if you can. The dive centre may be able to recommend you a dive medicine specialist, who can assess options for you. Divers Alert Network is a great clearinghouse for health-oriented diving information, and can also maybe point you to someone in your area who can help assess your allergies.
posted by halation at 6:46 AM on June 21, 2018 [4 favorites]
The major risk here is not so much death as a seriously unpleasant experience; if you have any sinus congestion at the surface, it's going to feel a lot worse as you descend. If you're doing your certification dives in the UK, the water's likely to be pretty chilly; doing a quarry dive one spring in 6mm-wetsuit-required temps with minimal congestion prior to descent gave me, I do not exaggerate, the worst sinus headache of my life. Do not recommend. You're also more likely to have trouble equalising your ears, which can lead to more pain (and ear damage). There's a pretty high likelihood you'd end up unable to complete the dive, if you're congested, simply because of the ear pain in the first 3 meters or so of the descent. Pseudoephedrine (the real meth-precursor Sudafed Decongestant, not anything with phenylephrine) is the gold standard for people with moderate, chronic congestion when diving, but is contraindicated if you're ever diving with Nitrox or other specialty mixes rather than plain old compressed air -- not that you will be for cert dives, though.
If your allergies aren't daily and chronic, but you just get flareups here and there, you can certainly dive and have fun! But I'd look into rescheduling for now. Maybe consult with an allergist or ENT doc if you can. The dive centre may be able to recommend you a dive medicine specialist, who can assess options for you. Divers Alert Network is a great clearinghouse for health-oriented diving information, and can also maybe point you to someone in your area who can help assess your allergies.
posted by halation at 6:46 AM on June 21, 2018 [4 favorites]
Yeah, I dived with some congestion, maybe descended a little fast, maybe not, but I had a full 48 hours between diving and my flight out the next day and had the most unpleasant ear pain during that flight, and some mid-term partial hearing loss (it's come back now, but damn it was painful).
Part of being safe is being able to say "not today".
And, yeah, I know a few divers who pop the allergy meds just as a matter of course, but the major concern with allergy meds is that you'll take 'em, clear up your congestion, and then while you're diving they'll wear off and you'll be ascending with congestion trying to force it's way everywhere as the pressure works its way out of your body.
Talk to your instructor about your concerns, but err on the side of reschedule.
posted by straw at 7:45 AM on June 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
Part of being safe is being able to say "not today".
And, yeah, I know a few divers who pop the allergy meds just as a matter of course, but the major concern with allergy meds is that you'll take 'em, clear up your congestion, and then while you're diving they'll wear off and you'll be ascending with congestion trying to force it's way everywhere as the pressure works its way out of your body.
Talk to your instructor about your concerns, but err on the side of reschedule.
posted by straw at 7:45 AM on June 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
Former PADI instructor here, complete with hearing issues due to diving with sinus congestion back when I was a jobbing paid-per-dive grunt. Agree with the answers above - ask if you can reschedule your course post-hayfever season.
posted by doornoise at 7:52 AM on June 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by doornoise at 7:52 AM on June 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
Agree with above - reschedule, and then later you'll figure out what works for you. BTW, you might want to check out scubaboard, which is a really good scuba diving forum. Good places for answers on this type of stuff.
posted by bluesky78987 at 8:14 AM on June 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by bluesky78987 at 8:14 AM on June 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
Sample of one, but I have hay fever that lasts from roughly April to October (it's California, the growing season is long). I saw a scuba-knowledageble ENT that Diver Alert Network (DAN) referred me to. He cleared me to dive. I have a runny nose right now and dove without issue yesterday. That said, congestion while diving is no fun. There is a decent chance that you'll not be able to descend, and since you're just getting your certification your buoyancy control may not be good enough to make the attemp in a controlled manner. Barotrauma is no joke, you can lose your hearing or sense of balance, in rare cases permanently. Make sure you have a line or something else so you don't accidentally descend too fast. Yes, descending without a reference is required to get your certification, but especially for the first dive I would use one. You can always go back and pick up the needed skills, but you can't go back and fix your ears.
Read up on alternate clearing techniques. Not sure if this is related to congestion, but I have to tilt my head so that my ear is touching my shoulder, and then switch ears. Some people wiggle their jaws, or press up on the palate with their tounges. Those little eustachian tubes can be tricky. Prepare yourself for some people effortlessly dropping to the bottom. It's a fact of life, descending hundreds of meters in 10 minutes is possible for certain lucky individuals. With multiple students your instructor will probably leave you behind near the surface. Do not rush. Take your time, stay relaxed, ascend slightly as needed to try again. Your instructor does not expect, nor want you to follow them down if your ears are not clear. It is totally fine to signal a half-dozen times that you're having trouble with your ears; the instructor is just checking in to make sure you're not in distress. In diving, as in so many things, slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.
With practice I am able to hear the clearing happen, but during my certification I was so overwhelmed that it was hard to know what worked. I also found that dive earplugs really helped (not sure what is available in the UK, but I bought Doc's Proplugs). For me, Sudafed helped with the congestion but made me jittery and gave me a headache. Overall it was a bad idea. If you do take it, take the 12-hour version so you don't get a reverse squeeze on ascent.
Sure, postpone if your allergies are going to go away. But it also might be fine. I have no medical training and only 15 dives under my belt, so salt is good. (Actually, hydration and electrolytes are important for all divers...)
posted by wnissen at 9:42 AM on June 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
Read up on alternate clearing techniques. Not sure if this is related to congestion, but I have to tilt my head so that my ear is touching my shoulder, and then switch ears. Some people wiggle their jaws, or press up on the palate with their tounges. Those little eustachian tubes can be tricky. Prepare yourself for some people effortlessly dropping to the bottom. It's a fact of life, descending hundreds of meters in 10 minutes is possible for certain lucky individuals. With multiple students your instructor will probably leave you behind near the surface. Do not rush. Take your time, stay relaxed, ascend slightly as needed to try again. Your instructor does not expect, nor want you to follow them down if your ears are not clear. It is totally fine to signal a half-dozen times that you're having trouble with your ears; the instructor is just checking in to make sure you're not in distress. In diving, as in so many things, slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.
With practice I am able to hear the clearing happen, but during my certification I was so overwhelmed that it was hard to know what worked. I also found that dive earplugs really helped (not sure what is available in the UK, but I bought Doc's Proplugs). For me, Sudafed helped with the congestion but made me jittery and gave me a headache. Overall it was a bad idea. If you do take it, take the 12-hour version so you don't get a reverse squeeze on ascent.
Sure, postpone if your allergies are going to go away. But it also might be fine. I have no medical training and only 15 dives under my belt, so salt is good. (Actually, hydration and electrolytes are important for all divers...)
posted by wnissen at 9:42 AM on June 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
At one point in my life, I dove 6 days a week for months. I have never, ever gone diving without taking Sudafed because my ears are shit, my sinuses are shit, and my allergies are shit. You should be able to manually clear your ears under water within 40 minutes of taking it. If you can't, back up you go, but that has literally never happened to me.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:25 AM on June 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 10:25 AM on June 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I would like to avoid 'death'...or a very painful experience!'
The problem is that I live abroad and have come back to my home country temporarily over summer, so I'm not exactly sure when I'll get the chance again.
This morning, for example, I was bunged up until I took a decongestant and cleared out my sinuses with a steaming bowl of tea tree oil. I've been more or less completely clear since doing that and its just 6 hours later I'm starting to feel slightly sniffly again.
The flight is booked tomorrow so I'm taking the trip anyway and I'm staying with a friend. Usually I don't suffer with allergies on the island because the sea air seems to clear me out but I will really need to see. I'll keep an 'allergy diary' over the next few days and if I'm still having some problems I will discuss rescheduling options with the school. Safety first.
posted by Willow251 at 11:00 AM on June 21, 2018
The problem is that I live abroad and have come back to my home country temporarily over summer, so I'm not exactly sure when I'll get the chance again.
This morning, for example, I was bunged up until I took a decongestant and cleared out my sinuses with a steaming bowl of tea tree oil. I've been more or less completely clear since doing that and its just 6 hours later I'm starting to feel slightly sniffly again.
The flight is booked tomorrow so I'm taking the trip anyway and I'm staying with a friend. Usually I don't suffer with allergies on the island because the sea air seems to clear me out but I will really need to see. I'll keep an 'allergy diary' over the next few days and if I'm still having some problems I will discuss rescheduling options with the school. Safety first.
posted by Willow251 at 11:00 AM on June 21, 2018
Reverse squeeze when the pseudoephedrine wears off while underwater. That's your big mistake. Don't do this.
Otherwise, check with your dive instructor and begin practicing how to clear your ears.
I do the gentle pinch my nostrils and blow method. You may have to do it several times within the first eight, or maybe 15 feet. After that you are probably good to go for the rest of your dive.
You can always call a dive.
You can always do a more conservative dive (shallower, shorter time, less exploring.)
My OWD course was in a lake and probably no more than 40 feet for a few minutes on the last of four dives (the fifth dive was fun and unstructured).
But ear squeeze and sinus squeeze are shallow water issues.
Get a good night's rest and a steamy shower, don't overdo blowing your nose. If you have to call the dive, that's part of scuba.
No one is draining the ocean. Good luck!
posted by TrishaU at 2:17 PM on June 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
Otherwise, check with your dive instructor and begin practicing how to clear your ears.
I do the gentle pinch my nostrils and blow method. You may have to do it several times within the first eight, or maybe 15 feet. After that you are probably good to go for the rest of your dive.
You can always call a dive.
You can always do a more conservative dive (shallower, shorter time, less exploring.)
My OWD course was in a lake and probably no more than 40 feet for a few minutes on the last of four dives (the fifth dive was fun and unstructured).
But ear squeeze and sinus squeeze are shallow water issues.
Get a good night's rest and a steamy shower, don't overdo blowing your nose. If you have to call the dive, that's part of scuba.
No one is draining the ocean. Good luck!
posted by TrishaU at 2:17 PM on June 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
Scuba instructor here. The main concern with taking meds for your allergies and then diving is that the increased pressure of diving can speed up some folks' metabolism and while you're fine to descend and clear ears and sinuses, you might not be fine to ascend at the end of the dive if the medication has worn off already. This could mean experiencing a reverse block which can be very painful but not necessarily life threatening. Allergy diary is a good idea, keeping notes of how long the mediation lasts for on the surface. It's not they official recommendation and I do not have allergies so cannot speak from personal experience, but many of my dive professional friends with allergies including my partner pop their decongestant just enough time before the dive for it to take affect and are typically fine. I would not stray to another allergy medication if you decide to choose this route, use something that you know exactly how you normally react to it.
And don't tell PADI I told you any of this.
posted by danapiper at 1:23 PM on June 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
And don't tell PADI I told you any of this.
posted by danapiper at 1:23 PM on June 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Just reschedule it. It's your first open water dive and do you really want to risk death, because it 100% absolutely is a risk? Just wait--there is nothing to be gained by doing this now. Also, diving is all about calculated risks and safety. Sure, maybe we want to get to the surface quickly, but that's dangerous and even though we may be fine, it's not safe. We may want to dive alone, but that's not safe. Diving in and of itself is all about being safe and if for your certification you're considering doing it unsafely, then you're not fully grokking what diving is all about.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 3:58 AM on June 21, 2018 [5 favorites]