Hi I am hoping some other freedivers may have experienced a similar problem and may be able to offer advice as to how they have over come it.
For about nine months now I have been experiencing difficulty equalising my sinus cavities. Specifically, I can equalise my ears no problem, but the more I dive, the tighter my sinuses become to the point where the last time I was out I could not dive at all. This has never happened to me before and I have been freediving most of my life. I am getting frustrated and worried that the problem has not cleared up.
When descending, I get severe paid in my head until I can equalise my sinuses, and when I return to the surface it can be over a minute before the extra pressure in my sinuses releases, which is also painful, but not as bad as the descent. I have also had a bad experience flying when I could not equalise my sinuses and the pain got so bad I actually asked the flight attendant for help. She brought me some Vicks nasal spray and after using it, my sinuses finally cleared after another five minutes or so and the pop was so loud my wife heard it sitting next to me! The pain was so bad I though my two front teeth were going to pop off.
I don't have a cold and suffer from no allergies. I have seen the doctor who prescribed me some drugs to clear an infection to no avail. He is now talking about a rather invasive operation I would prefer to avoid.
In years past I have done some deeper dives to the 60m range at which time I used to get some blood from my sinuses and I now worry that I have damaged them.
Even as I sit at my desk, while I can clear I feel my left nostril is slightly blocked.
Any help or past experience would be greatly appreciated. Freediving is one of the true loves of my life and this problem is really getting me down. :head
Thanks.
gbo200
For about nine months now I have been experiencing difficulty equalising my sinus cavities. Specifically, I can equalise my ears no problem, but the more I dive, the tighter my sinuses become to the point where the last time I was out I could not dive at all. This has never happened to me before and I have been freediving most of my life. I am getting frustrated and worried that the problem has not cleared up.
When descending, I get severe paid in my head until I can equalise my sinuses, and when I return to the surface it can be over a minute before the extra pressure in my sinuses releases, which is also painful, but not as bad as the descent. I have also had a bad experience flying when I could not equalise my sinuses and the pain got so bad I actually asked the flight attendant for help. She brought me some Vicks nasal spray and after using it, my sinuses finally cleared after another five minutes or so and the pop was so loud my wife heard it sitting next to me! The pain was so bad I though my two front teeth were going to pop off.
I don't have a cold and suffer from no allergies. I have seen the doctor who prescribed me some drugs to clear an infection to no avail. He is now talking about a rather invasive operation I would prefer to avoid.
In years past I have done some deeper dives to the 60m range at which time I used to get some blood from my sinuses and I now worry that I have damaged them.
Even as I sit at my desk, while I can clear I feel my left nostril is slightly blocked.
Any help or past experience would be greatly appreciated. Freediving is one of the true loves of my life and this problem is really getting me down. :head
Thanks.
gbo200