Weird "dizzyness" while diving?

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Do you dive with the same operator or have your fills at the same station? Just a thought that some vision issues may have to do with CO? Mid/late dive = at depth or ascending or?
 
I have been getting this too my past few dives (not the vision issue though) it is always at mid-late dive during ascent. It really feels weird almost like if I didn't stop and relax, then I would pass out. But in about 10 to 15 seconds it fades away. My buddy tells me he gets the same thing when his depth is choppy (up and down a lot ) but if his dive plan is slowly down to desired depth, stay, swim, explore, then slowly ascend, safety stop, surface. He rarely gets it.
I can't say I always do that, but I'm going to try a definite depth planned dive next and start to take note if that helps.
 
As others have said, while it's vertigo, probably caused by ears/equalizing/etc., but also consider how you are holding your neck. Are you clenched up in any way, with your head held back in a somewhat unnatural angle? Have you ever had neck and shoulder pain before (unrelated to diving)?

I don't have neck/shoulder pain, however I wouldn't be surprised if I'm holding my neck at an unnatural angle, and have realized during dives that I'm doing that. Would being clenched up basically restrict blood flow or something?
 
As a physician, I agree with the people above who have commented that simple alternobaric vertigo should not be accompanied by visual changes. If you truly feel as though you are looking through water, something is not right. Are you diving dry, with a neck seal, perhaps? I am trying to think of things that would affect circulation to the head.

On the other hand, when I was at my worst with underwater disorientation, I had episodes where my visual orientation abruptly changed, and sometimes it felt like a primary visual problem. It wasn't blurring, though.
 
As a physician, I agree with the people above who have commented that simple alternobaric vertigo should not be accompanied by visual changes. If you truly feel as though you are looking through water, something is not right. Are you diving dry, with a neck seal, perhaps? I am trying to think of things that would affect circulation to the head.

On the other hand, when I was at my worst with underwater disorientation, I had episodes where my visual orientation abruptly changed, and sometimes it felt like a primary visual problem. It wasn't blurring, though.

After reading other's posts and looking into vertigo a bit, I think I have mistakingly thought that I had a vision problem under water--it was a failed attempt at describiing the "warbly" swirling motion I experienced during the two vertigo episodes.

I have made a doctor's appointment for next week to have my ears looked at. As we speak my ears feel "tight" and theres a stronger than usual "rubber band tension" sound that happens when I swallow/yawn (I should stop trying to describe stuff, as I'm not very good at it obviously haha). Anyhow, I recall many years ago that I had 2 separate doctor visits to remove excess ear wax, this was before I was a diver. I dive a 7mm 2piece wetsuit with detached hood in cold water conditions. I have only had this vertigo situation on my last 2 dives, without changing much in m dive profile. I'm a bit anxious/nervous to get back in the water, yet I know I will be soon. I just want to make sure my ears are OK and that I know that the vertigo will subside if I remain calm (kind of tricky to stay completely calm). But any advice here is very appreciated.
 
If this is purely vertigo, I empathize. I have fought horrendous problems with vertigo and disorientation in the water, despite the fact that my ears generally equalize very easily. I have done many ascents while convinced I was doing somersaults, and I have ended up on the surface feet-first on multiple occasions after having my mask removed, simply because I didn't know which way was up.

There are methods for coping with midwater disorientation and vertigo. A big one is to avoid rapid head movement. Apparently, this is an issue for instrument pilots, when they are deprived of a visual reference outside the plane. I finally figured out that some of my worst vertigo episodes occurred when ascending in midwater and looking for my buddy/buddies. Now, the people I dive with are told ahead of time, "Stay where I can see you, or you are on your own." I cannot crane around to look at people, or the vertical hold on the world goes out . . . I have also learned a lot of non-visual cues for orientation in the water, including feeling where the bubbles are going on either side of my face, and noting whether my feet are squeezed or "fluffy" (I dive dry). I use the particles in the water a LOT for stability, and if I have a good, solid buddy, I use them, too.

There was a time when I despaired about this, but I have eventually managed to get both technical and cave certifications by learning to work through this issue, so it can be done.
 
If this is purely vertigo, I empathize. I have fought horrendous problems with vertigo and disorientation in the water, despite the fact that my ears generally equalize very easily. I have done many ascents while convinced I was doing somersaults, and I have ended up on the surface feet-first on multiple occasions after having my mask removed, simply because I didn't know which way was up.

There are methods for coping with midwater disorientation and vertigo. A big one is to avoid rapid head movement. Apparently, this is an issue for instrument pilots, when they are deprived of a visual reference outside the plane. I finally figured out that some of my worst vertigo episodes occurred when ascending in midwater and looking for my buddy/buddies. Now, the people I dive with are told ahead of time, "Stay where I can see you, or you are on your own." I cannot crane around to look at people, or the vertical hold on the world goes out . . . I have also learned a lot of non-visual cues for orientation in the water, including feeling where the bubbles are going on either side of my face, and noting whether my feet are squeezed or "fluffy" (I dive dry). I use the particles in the water a LOT for stability, and if I have a good, solid buddy, I use them, too.

There was a time when I despaired about this, but I have eventually managed to get both technical and cave certifications by learning to work through this issue, so it can be done.

Thank you for the info. I think I was terrified because I didn't know what was happening to me, and it felt like if it didn't end that I would pass out. Now that I know what is happening and that I won't pass out from it, I'm sure I can work through it even better..much appreciated.
 
I'm a fairly new diver, and have had this strange dizzy spell hit me during two separate dives now. It's hard to describe, but basically my sight gets almost blurry and my view is contorted, for maybe 10 to 20 seconds (but it feels like much longer!) and is very unpleasant. It affects my vision so that things almost look like it would if you weren't wearing a mask..it's just odd and rather scary actually. My buddy (a seasoned diver) said it was probably something to do with my inner ear and blockage issues. I do have to clear my ears fairly regularly by plugging my nose and blowing against it. It wears off on its own, usually with me just remaining still and forcing myself to be calm. It typically happens mid/late-dive, and occurs in a split second. Any ideas what this is about? Have you had this happen yourself? :confused:

Sorry if I missed this in a later post, but does this happen during depth changes and/or after a valsalva maneuver?
 
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