Decompression Sickness (DCS) from a Pool Dive?

[SlapBassist]

I was doing my 2nd pool dive in a cold pool yesterday on my way to get PADI certified and I have a concern about DCS as a result. The dive was 16 feet. Two times I surfaced too quickly compared to the other divers. The first time, I incorrectly inflated my BCD and went up very quickly. I'm pretty confident my breathing was consistent and I wasn't holding my breath at any time. I felt fine after this. Then we practiced our emergency out of air at 16 feet to the surface and after I took my initial breath and then started exhaling, I pushed off the bottom to go up and mistakenly went up too quickly again according to the instructor. He said I went up 2 times faster than I should have. I didn't think anything bad would happen from this, but then about 10 minutes later when it was time to get out of the pool I felt my left elbow starting to ache. I told my instructor and for a moment he got worried, but then I told him I've had tennis elbow before in that elbow. So he said it's probably nothing. I was thinking maybe it's just because of the pressure and being under water for 10 minutes at that depth. The weird thing is I never had that feeling when I went on my Discover Dive in open water a few months ago. Anyway, the immediate pain went away a few minutes later after stretching my elbow a little and massaging it. But then I started getting a little paranoid about that and I'm not sure if I've been feeling uncomfortableness and/or tingles int my arm/hand now or if I'm just being a hypochondriac. I keep reading all these random posts that it's possible to get DCS by ascending too quickly in a pool dive, so it's left me a little freaked out.

 

[emoreira]

At that depth and the time you said that you were in the pool, I doubt that a DCS could hit you. The real risk is a lung overexpansion if you are not exhaling when going up so quickly.

 

[supergaijin]

It is possible but very very unlikely. If you still feel concerned, call DAN International.

 

[TSandM]

It is not possible to absorb enough nitrogen from a dive in a typical pool (depth in the 12 to 15 foot range, or shallower) to put you at risk of DCS Type I, which is the kind that causes damage to joints and bones. It IS possible to have a lung overexpansion injury, which might result in neurologic symptoms, which you didn't have.

I suspect you are not accustomed to carrying around dive gear. Most of us had a variety of aches and pains when we first started diving.

You should learn quite a bit more about DCS as your course progresses, that will help put these kinds of fears in a rational framework.

 

[SlapBassist]

I did end up calling DAN last night to ask them and the guy on the phone said he doubted I can get DCS from a pool dive like that for the same reasons you guys are all saying. I think the consensus around is that it's possible, but highly unlikely, but I did see some random posts and articles of people saying that even after DAN told them it's nothing, it turned out to be something. Hence the need to double check. Thanks for your advice!

 

[SlapBassist]

Just to update everyone, more like to get another opinion, the last few days I've been experiencing some weird symptoms (for what I don't know). My elbow pain has pretty much subsided. I do have the occasional weak sensation in my left elbow, but it's not that often. The biggest symptom I have now is the last few days I've been kind of dizzy throughout the day. I've been having slight headaches. Now I'm thinking this may be related to my eardrums as the dizziness seems to come the most when I am walking around. However, I don't feel any pain in any of my ears. I'm going to get myself checked out tomorrow by my GP, but would love to hear people's opinions.

 

[BlueDevil]

Diving can put your neck in unusual positions for extended periods. Both headaches and dizzyness can result from neck problems, even though you may not have obvious neck pain.

This may not apply to you, but it is worth keeping in mind.

Tapatalk 2

 

[SandyBramm]

A inner ear infection doesn't always cause pain, and can make you feel a bit dizzy or light headed especially when you stand up, or turn your head quickly. Scuba though might not be your sport. Good Luck hope it works out, make sure to tell your instructor if you continue on in your class so they can offer you assistance in evaluating your next steps.

 

[TSandM]

Well, it's worth having someone look at your ears, because ear injuries are actually fairly common in student divers. But it sounds to me like you're worrying too much, and possibly noticing things that you wouldn't have paid any attention to otherwise.

 

[SlapBassist]

Yup, it is what I thought, inflammation of my ear drums. My doctor didn't really know much about what a DCI is or whatever. Everything she said was, decompression this or that, so it was pretty obvious I knew more than her. Just by how she described stuff etc. My only symptoms at this point is the headaches and dizziness, so I can't imagine I actually got decompression sickness in the typical sense (maybe it's all clinical terminology to her). Apparently I had a lot of wax in my ears, which probably didn't help my equalization attempts. I'm super bummed though, as I was supposed to finish my certification this Thurs, with a whole trip to a dive destination. She initially said I shouldn't dive for a month, but then said I can probably try again in a week if I'm feeling better. However, I don't know if I should screw around with this now. Perhaps I should wait longer, I don't know... I am not giving up on Scuba just cause of this crap, but I'm totally bummed that I may have to cancel a whole trip right in the beginning of the whole thing... It was to be my bday gift to myself. Such luck.