Scuba Diving And Sinus Squeeze (According to a scuba instructor)
If on descent you start to feel pressure on your forehead and/or face, you may be experiencing a sinus squeeze. Below we will discuss what that is, how it happens and what to do if it occurs.
Cause
Squeezes that us divers experience are the effects of pressure on our bodies. This occurs when we are subjected to the added weight of being under water, which is 800 times more dense than air. While at ground level, we are always subjected to 1 atmosphere of pressure, though we don’t feel it. Because of the weight of water, it only takes descending 34ft in fresh water and 33ft in salt water (because of the added weight of the salt) to reach another atmosphere.
As we learned in physics class, according to Boyle’s Law, when you increase the pressure on a gas, it’s volume will decrease.
We have four sets of sinus in our face and forehead that have air in them. Normally, the sinuses equalize on their own with no issues. However, If you dive while having symptoms from a cold or allergies, there may be inflammation of the mucous membranes in the sinus cavities. This inflammation can reduce, or block, the narrow passages through which air escapes the sinus cavities.
Symptoms
With sinus squeeze, you may actually not feel anything at all. If you do feel something, it may be pressure or pain in your face and/or forehead. You may also have a little bloody discharge from your nose and/or some post nasal drip after ascent.
Actions for Relief
Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to help with a sinus squeeze. Either the sinus cavities will equalize, or they will not. Here, prevention (see below) is your best defense from getting a sinus squeeze. If on descent you do feel that pressure in your face or forehead, you can try to stop your descent and ascend a little. Then try to descend again. If you are still feeling the pressure, abort the dive to save yourself some pain and injury.
Prevention
Best way to prevent a sinus squeeze is to not dive while suffering from allergies or while you have a cold. When “congested” you may have issues with air moving as we want it to as divers with both equalizing on descent, which causes squeezes, and then when coming up on ascent, which can cause a reverse block.
Medications
Some divers, including yours truly on occasion, have found the use of anti-inflammatory, anti-allergy and decongestant medications, such as pseudoephedrine, helpful in equalization. Before using such medication, make sure to consult with your Dr. to make sure it is right for you and is not contradictory to any other medicine you may be taking. I would also recommend trying any new medicine a couple of days prior to diving to see if you experience any side effects, prior to them occurring while you are under the water.
Wrapping things up
With Sinus Squeeze, a good offense is definitely the best defense. Your affirmative actions of not diving while congested will go a long way to help prevent a sinus squeeze. If you are feeling a symptoms of a sinus squeeze on descent, stop descending and ascend a little to see if the issue will work itself out. If on re-descent you still feel the squeeze, abort the dive to avoid more pressure…
If You’re Looking For other Scuba Diving Tips, Check Out The Below.
- Carbon Dioxide Toxicity
- Carbon Monoxide Toxicity
- Oxygen Toxicity
- Decompression Sickness
- Nitrogen Narcosis
- Middle Ear Squeeze
- Scuba Gift Ideas
- Hand Signals
- Mask Fog
- Scuba Tank Markings
- Mask Squeeze
- Reverse Block
- Overexpansion Injuries
“How boring would the world be if everywhere and everyone were the same. Safe travels and good adventures.” Scuba Jay
