Sneezing underwater?

[bleeb]

When I do have a sneezing attack, I use a rescue inhaler to stop the wheezing. Since it's the same stuff asthmatics use, I assume that wheezing underwater has the same consequences as having an asthma attack underwater - namely the risk of lung overexpansion upon ascending. I guess I've been lucky so far. Not really sure what I can do about this except do my best to hold my sneezes and surface as quickly as safely possible if I feel a sneezing fit coming on.

Now that this thread is in Dive Medicine, hopefully some of the medical professionals will be more likely to see it and comment. I'm not one, but I think you've identified the bigger issue. It's not the sneezing that can be a problem. It's what condition is causing you to sneeze or triggered by it. I'm not sure holding your sneeze is avoiding the problem, since the underlying condition is still there. And yes, the fact you've recently used and feel like you've significant benefited from using a rescue inhaler seems like a major concern.

[Cosmographer]

Well, the underlying cause seems to be what Islandheart identified as the "Achoo Syndrome". Since the condition that causes me to have sneezing fits is out of my control, and since it happens so rarely, I'm more focused on the after-effects. My tendency to start wheezing after a bout of sneezes does worry me since it seems very similar to what asthmatics encounter - especially since an inhaler resolves the problem, much like it does for asthmatics. My wheezing is never so bad as to prevent me from breathing - it just becomes more uncomfortable. Does this put me at risk of lung over-expansion on ascent even if I'm able to exhale with every breath? How fully do we need to exhale to avoid over-expansion?

I can't imagine abandoning diving because of a condition that occurs so rarely (less than 0.1% of the time), but before I can make that decision, I would like to know what the chances are of lung over-expansion under such circumstances. After all, a 0.1% chance of certain death might not be an acceptable risk, but a 0.1% possibility of getting into a situation where over-expansion might occur 25% of the time could be an acceptable risk. I know there are no hard and fast numbers out there, but I'd just like to get a feel for how dangerous this condition might be so I can make the best risk/reward calculation possible for me.

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Cosmo,
Your condition may or may not fall under the category of asthma, but whatever the cause, wheezing underwater is dangerous. At depth, gas density becomes a factor and can make moving air through your constricted airways exponentially more difficult than it would be on the surface. This can lead to CO2 toxicity and death. It sounds as if your attacks are unpredictable and require a rescue inhaler to resolve; if this is the case, I would recommend seeing a diving medical professional for evaluation as diving may present an undue hazard to your health.
Best regards,
DDM

[Cosmographer]

Thanks, doc. I was afraid it would be something like that. Looks like I'll need to get this condition checked out.

[nimoh]

not sure if this would be possible (or safe), but I have often wondered if a rescue inhaler could be integrated with a regulator so that a diver with asthma (or just a bout of wheezing) could press a button to release the necessary dosage into the hose feeding the second stage.

[Duke Dive Medicine]

not sure if this would be possible (or safe), but I have often wondered if a rescue inhaler could be integrated with a regulator so that a diver with asthma (or just a bout of wheezing) could press a button to release the necessary dosage into the hose feeding the second stage.

Nimoh,

See the thread linked below; this came up for discussion not long ago:

Can you feel a lung over-expansion injury happening?