[Steve S]

Hi All,

In this wonderful spirit of Glasnost I'll tell you one of my stories, 3 years ago I was booked on a dive trip when a few days before, I came down with a cold. Despite all I knew about it being a contraindication to diving it was a wreck I had really wanted to do for a while, and as I had booked the club trip anyway I decided to dose my self up with decongestants and press on.

Out to the wreck site I felt better than I had for a few days, and full of sinutab and otrivine I entered the water, I found it a little harder than normal to clear but nothing major.

Down at 38m for 20 mins, then when I started to ascend the most incredible ear pain I have ever experienced started, I realised that I had a reverse block so went back down but it did nothing. Equalisation problems on descent you can stop and surface but at that depth you haven't much time to play with and eventually you will have to surface.

I started a very slow ascent with my head feeling like it was about to explode and with the pain getting worse and worse. I tried reverse valsalva without success.

Around 22m my ear cleared like a pressure cooker venting and I was hit by vertigo and nausea, I don't know how but I managed to complete my deco without chundering but eventually I made it back to the boat with extreme ear pain plus an inability to clear it.

A few days later I saw my GP who said the drum was intact but could suggest nothing but an ENT referral.

It settled down after 6 weeks [before my appointment came through] and luckily it appears to be fine now.

Things I have learned, decongestants are wonderful things but for diving think twice as they can wear off at the most inopportune time.

Don't dive with a cold or soon after one.

Safe diving,
Steve