YD Scuba Diving Forums banner

headache after dive

3K views 21 replies 14 participants last post by  rexters 
#1 ·
Imported post

<font color='#FF0000'>hi after every dive i get a really bad headache, its worse the deeper i go and worse after each dive, i know my air source is good so i dont know whats causing it but its ruining my diving, does any body else get this or had it and what causes it hope some one can help
 
#2 ·
Imported post

<font color='#000080'>It could be from blood pressure being elevated during the dive.  
As you may notice if you need a pee at the start of the dive, you will be desperate by the end!  This is cos the body tries to get rid of what it sees as too much water by the only way it effectivley can - making you pee.  Make sure you are fully hydrated before you dive to avoid getting dehydrated - a major contributing factor to many bends.

I had a stonking headache two days running in scapa - but i know this was due to the bloody ferry coming in at 3am and fannying about with the bow thrusters which sounded like someone hoovering the deck of the boat.

Our ex-DO used to get a headache whenever he worked hard underwater - he used to say it was a CO2 headache, but as far as i know you must be doing something wrong to get one of these (but i may be wrong) i think they are more likley with full face masks.

Is the neckseal of your drysuit tight?  This can cause pressure on the vagus nerve (part of the parasympathectic nervous system, i think its the 9th cranial nerve...not sure there either) which can cause all sorts of havoc with the body, and also bugger about with the blood pressure in your head.

Lastly, do you wear glasses?  You may need a prescription mask if you do, as eyestrain may cause probs too.

However, a headache can be a symptom of a bend, so i would suggest you talk to the DDRC, they are quick to reply and very helpful via email.

ddrc
 
#4 ·
Imported post

<font color='#FF0000'>thanks for your replys i dont skip breath and my dive plans are always very conservative i did think it may have been my neck seal but i have cut it down till its on the verge of leaking so thats ruled out i tried the link from porgs to the ddrc but it wont work do you know what the address is.
thanks for your replys you all certainly know your stuff hopefully i can get to the bottom of this and get on with enjoying my diving
 
#6 ·
Imported post

<font color='#000080'>Dehydration causes headaches (can be really severe!) so make sure you drink plenty of water before diving. Don't drink booze the night before and stay off the coffee prior to diving. Fitting a pee-valve to your dry suit helps for when you are properly hydrated


Blocked sinuses can also give you severe headpain which can be mistaken for 'headaches'.

HTH

Mark.
 
#7 ·
Imported post

Rexters,

You don't seem to be having a very good time of this whole diving lark! Hope you have stopped the feeling ill after surfacing you asked about a while ago.

I used to get headaches after dives, I think usually due to dehydration. Assuming you have decided you have not got a bad fill, go for the avoidance of coffee/big night out the night before and drink plenty of water/squash. The key is to drink plenty in the time well before you kit up and then visit the little boys room at the last second before zipping up - or get a Pee valve!

HTH

Paul
 
#8 ·
Imported post

<font color='#FF0000'>hi thanks again for all the replys some very usefull ideas, i am going to make sure i drink loads next dive and see how i go in reply to the question about diving in warm water i have done a few dives in the red sea and i never had even a slighteset headache which points towards drysuit neckseal but now i have adjusted it i cant see it being a prob so unless anyone else can think of anything it looks like dehydration.
well spotted paul with my last post, i think the feeling ill was related to  one of my headaches thats how bad they are and on that paticular dive we were a bit deeper than usual so i think it was more severe.
 
#9 ·
Imported post

Try Nitrox

I have been diving for over 15 years and still get the odd headache when diving air.  Last time was a 12m dive with a 3m safety stop !! (Suunto again..)

I have recently decided to use nitrox even on these shallow dives and so far have always had a clear head afterwards.

The extra few quid are well worth it.

Chris
 
#10 ·
Imported post

Drink lots of water. I used to get the head aches but not now. The reason you may not get the aches in the Red Sea is possibly becaudse of the increased fluid consumption (water that is) associated with hot weather.

HTH

Noel
 
#11 ·
Imported post

I get headaches on long deepdives around the 20meter mark, was told most likely low oxygen level as I use 21/79 mix
less air going to the brain, useing Nitrox at a higher level helps solve problems like headaches as more oxygen is reaching the brain
Tony
 
#12 ·
Imported post

When I started diving as a novice I used to dive buddied up with the Branch D.O.(Diving Officer). On the majority of dives I used to come up with a really bad headache, so much so that at one point I was thinking is this the hobby for me.

One particular trait of the DO was that he used to fin hell for leather everywhere making the whole dive one long rush, Seldom ever got chance to stop and look at anything. Maybe it was his eagerness to saw off bits of metal & chisel portholes. As I started diving with others who took their time finning and generally more chilled ie not rushing about, I soon found I wasn't getting the headaches . Have to say I havn't been bothered with the problem since. Really exerting yourself seems to bring them on.
 
#13 ·
Imported post

<font color='#FF0000'>well parahandy i think you have just hit the nail on the head sounds like exactly the same senario as me, my buddy fins like he has an 80hp outboard strapped to him and i am getting overexerted underwater, i too have wondered if this is the sport for me but i love diving so have perservered, but it did cross my mind about overexertion and as soon as i read your post it clicked, good work i owe you a pint, im diving with someone else this weekend so ill see how i go
 
#14 ·
Imported post

Another possibility (just to confuse the issue) is temperomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. People who clench or grind their teeth when asleep at night often suffer from this. Biting too hard on your reg can cause the same symptoms. The pain is located in the temples. Try seeing if relaxing your jaws during the dive and biting more gently helps.
 
#15 ·
Imported post

<font color='#FF0000'>hi all, thought i would post a follow up to my original post, i went diving at capernwray at the weekend with a different buddy, we took it nice and easy enjoyed the dive and surprise surprise no headache not even a niggle, needless to say i will be having words with my regular buddy, so thanks for all your excellent advice and good diving
 
#16 ·
Imported post

Guys

That was a top thread, i would have gone for the "Use Nitrox" and Hydration options as they are my experience of this issue. Para, good spot.

Just goes to show the value of this site yet again.

Dive Safe

Paul
 
#17 ·
Imported post

<font color='#0000FF'>PARA , beat me to it.

Working underwater causes sweat = body temp starts to drop, so ambient water is cooling cooler blood , as your forehead has a large surface exposed to water, it is next door to a warm bit of grey matter, which can't really except a cold shock =ing a HEADACHE.

John, ref TMJ,,,,, the TMJ can be broken even by a sudden brake in your car, it's that fine....... It's also painful when it does goes, i should know, it's happen to me .

STORYTIME

Doing a salvage job at 43 mts, felt sore in my mouth near my upper left jaw, and put it down to the hard bit of choccie i had eaten just before diving. As i stuggle with the burning gear, i fell off the wreck to only 47 mts, I felt my mouth go bang, and thats the last i remember.

Once dragged to the surface, and it was a quick ascent as i was out for the count. The dive tenders un hatted my as i was choking on LOTS of blood, ( luckily i was wearing a COMMIE DIVE HAT ), having been rushed to hospital, it was found that one of my upper left double tooth had exploded,ripping a hole in my gum and the tooth splinters had cut my mouth to bits.
Had to wait 4 days before the dentist could have a good look at the damage, and by WRENCHING my mouth wide open with a ractchet thing , BROKE my TMJ,,,,,,, the bastard ,,,, was painful for a good 8 months and even worse , no diving for a year .


ANdy
 
#18 ·
Imported post

<font color='#0000FF'>Pretty disappointed that there has only been one mention of the fact that this could be an indication of recurring DCS. Headache following diving is also a possible sign of PFO.

The fact that the headaches seem to be worse with more diving, and more strenuous diving (with increased gas loading) would suggest an appointment with a diving doctor would be appropriate.

The Nitrox issue is interesting. It is unlikely that 21% O2 would not be sufficient to provide adequate oxygenation, particularly since the pO2 at depth is significantly higher than the brain is accustomed to. Perhaps the real issue is that there is a reduced nitrogen loading with Nitrox?

Not saying that it isn't one of the many other potential causes already listed, but DCS remains a possibility and should be investigated.
 
#19 ·
Imported post

<font color='#FF0000'>hi all, me again, just read the post by hyperbaric and he has me thinking, pfo doesent that mean a hole in the heart, scary stuff agree it might be worth a talk with a dive doc whats the best way of contacting a local one, regards to all
 
#20 ·
Imported post

[b said:
Quote[/b] (Hyperbaric @ Feb. 03 2004,08:20)]Pretty disappointed that there has only been one mention of the fact that this could be an indication of recurring DCS.
<font color='#000080'>I said it could be a bend!  Thanks to Andy at Scapa Scuba for telling me the story of a lass who had a headache for a couple of days and then went to bed folllowing a dive got up unable to string a sentence together and got really violent too.  It took a couple of big guys to get her into the chamber and once she was recomressed she was fine!

See, i can talk sense sometimes, the rest of the time is just oral diahorrea
 
#21 ·
Imported post

<font color='#0000FF'>
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]hi all, me again, just read the post by hyperbaric and he has me thinking, pfo doesent that mean a hole in the heart, scary stuff agree it might be worth a talk with a dive doc whats the best way of contacting a local one, regards to all
Yes, PFO is possibility - around 25% of the population have one. Most have absolutely no problems, but divers are at increased risk of DCS if they have a significant PFO. However, this is only a possibility, not a certainty, in your case.

Link to info on PFO

Your GP would be able to refer you for testing, or you could call one of the hyperbaric units, like DDRC, Wirral, etc, depending on your location.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I said it could be a bend!
Glad that you did. I'm sure everyone else was thinking of it as a possibility - but as the worst-case scenario and equally likely cause, DCS does need to be emphasized.

Again, though, I need to say that it is not necessarily DCS.
 
#22 ·
Imported post

<font color='#FF0000'>hi all, me again  to give you an update, i read your post hyperbaric, about contacting a hyperbaric unit, i umd and ard for a bit cos i felt a bit daft about it, but i decided what the hell.
so i phoned wirral hyperbaric and explained my predicament and they could not of been more helpful they put me straight thro to a dive doctor, i told him all my symptoms and i mentioned about the pfo possibility, he could rule out this possibility as its got a  very specific type of headache, anyway to cut a long story short, we got it down to two things first was cramps in the back of neck due to cold water/diving position and the second was carbon dioxide toxicity, brought on by over exertion when diving , so no surprises which one we decided is the cause, once i told him about old speedy fins, alias my buddy,  so moral of the story is if you have any concerns what soever about feeling dodgy after a dive get on the blower to the hyperbaric units as they are a brilliant assett that are more than willing to help.
so i am happy, i thought for a minute i might have to stop doing a sport i love, it also shows the value of sights like this because i could potentially have been risking my life when diving and not known anything about it, keep up the good work and safe diving to all.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top