Tingly Extremities

[SaltyPirateBastard]

So in recent months, when I've finished a dive (shallow, deep, long or short) I notice my fingers and toes are a little numb/tingly. I'm thinking this is NOT a good sign.

I do my safety stops and never hit DECO, but for some reason this is still happening. One DM told me to stop diving for awhile. I took a month off, then the same thing happened. Any suggestions?

[VooDooGasMan]

Yes salty You are cold, buy neoprene socks if wet diving,and thicker or better gloves, Obviously dive a shorter time to see if numb/tingly when done and on surface. Put hands and feet in warm water in a cooler and see if it goes away quickly.

The other is boots and gloves are to tight, Obviously to loose there not going to work well at all.

Happy Diving

[TSandM]

Where are you diving? If you're diving very cold water, you may just be cold. If you're diving a dry suit, you may have seals that are too tight. (This can be true of wetsuits, too). Gloves and boots that are too tight can do it, too.

Another thing that can give you tingly fingers and toes is true hyperventilation -- blowing your CO2 down to abnormally low levels. If you are anxious and overbreathing, this is possible.

If you want to rule out DCS as a possible cause (and honestly, DCS presenting as tingling fingers and toes, in precisely the same fashion, dive after dive, is unlikely) then do a similar length dive to the ones you usually do, but don't go any deeper than 20 or 30 feet. If you still have the problem, it almost certainly is not nitrogen-related.

[SaltyPirateBastard]

I'm mos def not cold. That's not an option.

It does happen on a 20-30 ft. dive.

I did rule out DCS, because that would have not improved, and I'd be in serious trouble.

I'm thinking more towards circulation issues?

[tddfleming]

Are your fingers and toes white after the dive? Looks almost like you were embalmed?? Do they begin to tingle as they start to get blood flowing again? Just another thought, but Raynauds????? I have posted a link. I deal with this all the time and your description sounds like what I get in the water and out of the water. Are you a smoker? I remember when mine first started, it was just fingers and toes and had no clue what was happening, it built up slowly over time. Did not get bad until I moved from Cleveland, Ohio to NC coast.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynaud%27s_phenomenon

[DocVikingo]

I did rule out DCS, because that would have not improved, and I'd be in serious trouble.

Hi SaltyPirateBastard,

This conception of DCS could cause the diver serious trouble. Many (and possibly most) cases of mild DCS, such as those involving only fingers and toes that occasionally are a "little numb/tingly" post-dive, in fact never advance any farther and resolve completely without treatment.

Moreover, DCS occurring on 20-30' dives while the diver is well within recreational dive planner limits, performing safety stops, etc., is quite unlikely.

Finally, I would emphasize what TSandM said regarding "DCS presenting as tingling fingers and toes, in precisely the same fashion, dive after dive, is unlikely." I'd go even further and say, it's very unlikely.

A circulatory problem should be ruled out, including Raynauds and perniosis (chilblains).

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual and should not be construed as such.

[tddfleming]

Hi SaltyPirateBastard,

A circulatory problem should be ruled out, including Raynauds and perniosis (chilblains).

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual and should not be construed as such.

Doc:

You mention that Raynauds should be ruled out, does that cause any issue with diving?

[Bubbletrubble]

Doc:

You mention that Raynauds should be ruled out, does that cause any issue with diving?

Well, considering that vascularization and circulation probably play a role in on- and off-gassing in the tissues, there's a theoretical impact on DCS pathophysiology. In the real world, however, I'd be surprised if any studies have been done to demonstrate a proven association between such circulatory conditions and an increase in DCS incidence since those circulatory conditions aren't very common and DCS incidence is quite rare.

Besides the obvious problems of exposing a Raynaud's patient to cold (i.e., pain and worse), there's also the issue of properly identifying that such a circulatory condition exists so that medical treatment options might be entertained and the symptoms aren't confused with the onset of DCS.

[TSandM]

Reynaud's has a spectrum of manifestations. In its mildest forms, it can cause someone to have increased discomfort with immersion in cool water, and to need more insulation. I dive dry gloves because of it.

In severe forms, you can actually get gangrene of extremities from cold-induced vasoconstriction. Someone with symptoms that bad probably wouldn't tolerate any kind of cold water diving at all.

Symptoms from Reynaud's can sometimes be controlled with medications, for example calcium channel blockers, so someone with moderate symptoms might be considered for medical treatment, if diving really bothered them.

[Jim Lapenta]

Is it possible your suit cuffs may also be too tight and restricting blood flow to the hands and feet. You take the suit off, circulation returns, and tingling starts. I notice this with my older 5 mil that is not a stretchy as my newer one.