Eye Socket shooting pain

[Pav]

Spearfishing, but figure this may be the best thread for an answer.

I have a few times now suffered from a shooting pain from the top of my eye socket after about 3m. It is painful!! , and is such that it forces me to abandon my dive. As soon as I surface the pain stops so it is def. linked to the water pressure. Its not often this effects me but when it does it can restrict me to hunting in the shallows. It only effects 1 side.

Yesterday was typical. Was collecting razor clams with no problems. Then moved on to hunting the Bass with no problem. Then about after an hour - hour half on one dive suffered this pain which then effected me on every dive afterwards and I had to call it a day. I equalise my ears, but don't usually find it necessary to equalise my mask at the depth I hunt at.

Any ideas? Cause or remedy

 

[Anders]

Your description sounds a lot like mucus blockage of the sinus adjacent to your eye. I have this problem pretty much chronically, and like you I usually only have it in one of the sinuses. It affects my diving from time to time, but usually I'm fine.
You should go see your general physician, or even better, an ear-nose-throat specialist. Whatever the problem is and if they can fix it or not, at least you'll be safer and more assured after you see a doctor.

 

[JennyWren]

Sounds like a sinus squeeze, I had that one time, they hurt a LOT!

 

[devondave]

Hey Pav, how's it going?
Like most of the ailments that turn up on db, the only really sensible advice to give is see a doctor.
Nobody can tell what's wrong with someone from a description on a post.
Most times see a doctor is overkill advice but you can't just cater for 'usually' you have to allow for the one time when it's something serious too.
It does sound like a sinus squeeze, but best to get it checked out.
I had one once, pain between the eyes, a little blood from the nose, no problem really, except it developed into a sinusitis, quite painful and frankly disgusting (lots of bright yellow mucus dripping from the nose etc.)
It cleared up with antibiotics but now I would never ignore a squeeze again.

A useful thing to do when spearfishing is every so often take off the mask and breathe though your nose for a while, it might need the snot blowing out as well.
This will help clear the nasal passages and prevent mucus getting lodged up the nose, don't put the mask back on until you can breathe freely though both nostrils, you may have to hang on to the float to do this.

Dave.

 

[cmburch]

I had similar pain like someone slowly drilling a hole between my inner eyebrow and eye with a pencil; and an excruciating cracking sensation. Same problem on airplanes. Makes me want to cry out in agony.

Had a scan of my sinuses, all is well.

I use time released Sudafed and Afrin (Use sparingly, can be addicting). The Sudafed also eliminated any seasickness I once had due to sinus congestion.

I carry both in my dive kit, and Afrin only in my carry-on luggage.

May want to see a doctor first like I did.

 

[Pav]

Thanks all for the help. Its a re-occuring issue (like the tendon shooting pains, the clicking elbow, and the dizziness I get after every 3rd bottle of cava). Its ok again, but what fustrated me was I had it during two consecutive dives. You describe it very well re. the pencil. That is exactly it!

I sometimes watch these programs on the documentary channel when they dig up a person from the past and discuss the injuries they had from the skeleton and what the person must have done for a living. I can only imagine what they would make of mine!

 

[Pav]

EDIT : Before my wife reads this and tells me to stop showing off.. "I get dizzy after 1 bottle". and yes I'm on the Lidl Cava (diet) :friday