reverse block ends with interesting result

So last month I went diving when...apparently...I shouldn't have been. I had had a cold the week before and even though I felt 100%, was able to equalize, and had done a short, shallow dive the day before my incident, I still had something very odd happen.

Upon ascent from the dive, I got a reverse block in the last 15 feet. I didn't notice it right away (it was my first time having an issue on an ascent) and didn't react fast enough to stop my ascent. When I hit the surface of the water I felt something strange under my mask.

I tore off my mask and asked my dive buddy if my left eye looked ok. She replied that it looked a bit squinty...

...by the time I had climbed into the dive boat a minute later, my lower left eyelid had swelled to gross dimensions. I only had the top quarter of my vision out of that eye! I also had a reverse block that was...more annoying than anything, not painful.

Everyone's first instinct was that I had a mask squeeze, but I wasn't so sure.

So I got to a doctor 2 days later and she told me that the air trying to escape out my ear couldn't go anywhere so it made its way into my eyelid. Over the next 5 days or so, it went away all by itself, just by me pressing down on it once and a while. There was no pain or anything at all, oh and I should mention there was squishy pockets of air in my temple area on the side of my head as well.

I just wanted to see if anyone else has had this happen to them or someone they know. I was surrounded by very knowledgeable divers and none of them had seen this before.

Welcome to :sblogo:

Never ran across that particular problem before, glad you're getting better.

Username seems appropriate.

wow, it just went away, no residual effects.....
that would freak me out.... glad your ok..........

how much air are you talking about, seems like alot, considering the source, how big were the pockets on your temples, and how big did your eye swell up?

Wow that's a fascinating account. I don't know why but of all the hazzards of SCUBA, reverse block, has always been the one that I'm most afraid of. I just pray that I won't ever experience reverse block but if I do I'd much rather have this happen than have a perforated eardrum.

bubblehead245:

I should mention there was squishy pockets of air in my temple area on the side of my head as well.

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Everyone in Nanaimo has that ...

Just kidding

I just wanted to see if anyone else has had this happen to them or someone they know.

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Never seen that particular variant but what you say sounds completely plausible. I've had a reverse block in my sinuses and it hurt like someone was pounding a spike into my forehead.

I've also been diving with my eyes swollen from allergies (really bad idea!) and some of the little capillaries in my eyes burst from the pressure. I didn't feel anything but it looked horrible.

R..

The subcutaneous emphysema (medical term for the spongy or crackly swelling due to air in the soft tissues) most likely came from inside of one of your sinuses, rather than from your ear. But it's the same process -- air can't escape via the normal channel, so it finds its own way out.

I've had one reverse block, and it felt like an icepick being driven into my face. It gave me a profound wariness about diving when congested.

Wow, Bubblehead, I've had minor reverse block when I dive with my hood but never experienced what you went through. Thanks for sharing with us.

I've had a few small reverse blocks before. Mostly sinus blocks that ended with a little bit of bloody nose. But your episode sounds quite freaky. Glad you got better and it didn't cause you too much pain.

Peace,
Greg

Wow, that sounds really horrible....I'm glad you're doing better though. Eye things totally freak me out, so having my lower eyelid swell to gross dimensions would be traumatic!