Chest issues when ascending from work related dives.

[Disreguard]

Also I began working out after a month break when the issue started. I am not sure if it could be something pulled or injured in my chest area that may be affecting it. My issue has been going on for about a month now. Id try getting back in the water every two weeks. Maybe I need a little bit more time out of the water?

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

When i'm ascending it is head-up and i'll be honest my ascent can be a little faster than normal especially if a guest breaks the surface since I need to make sure they are okay. As I get closer to the surface I start to feel some chest tightness, it occurs in the very center of my chest where my sternum is. A little bit of a dull ache happens but its not severe or anything so i'd give it a 2-4 on the scale. There is no other pain associated and the tightness only happens in my chest. The tightness, being uncomfortable, and tiny bit of aches go away relatively fast usually withing a few hours or so. I have no other issues doing any type of cardio, breathing, or any type of pain or breathing issues. The event ONLY occurs when im ascending so im confused on whats going on. During my dives i feel fine but when im reaching close to the surface is when the tightness begiins.

Hi @Disreguard ,

This sounds like an expanding gas issue. You mentioned being gassy and belching - if you have GI gas, a nice burp should relieve the pain. Expanding gas in the stomach could also be forcing gastric contents into your esophagus, which could cause discomfort in the chest area. The more serious cause could be a recurrent pulmonary barotrauma (pressure injury to the lung), perhaps from a weak area of the lungs, leading to mediastinal emphysema, which is gas collecting in the center of the chest. The slow resolution of symptoms puts this a bit higher on the differential for me, at least from your description. I'd recommend that you get worked up for this. Do you live in Orlando?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Disreguard]

Hi @Disreguard ,

This sounds like an expanding gas issue. You mentioned being gassy and belching - if you have GI gas, a nice burp should relieve the pain. Expanding gas in the stomach could also be forcing gastric contents into your esophagus, which could cause discomfort in the chest area. The more serious cause could be a recurrent pulmonary barotrauma (pressure injury to the lung), perhaps from a weak area of the lungs, leading to mediastinal emphysema, which is gas collecting in the center of the chest. The slow resolution of symptoms puts this a bit higher on the differential for me, at least from your description. I'd recommend that you get worked up for this. Do you live in Orlando?

Best regards,
DDM

I apologize for the mistype! The feeling I experience after a dive is only a tad bit of tightness. It isnt present very long and I do psych myself up a lot by using google to check for whats wrong. There is so pain at all after dives and I function and feel normal. Was hoping to avoid a doctors visit! Would a diet change and re-descending for a minute or two be a possible solution? Also with recurrent pulm embolisms would this be able to resolve in 6 weeks time?

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

When i'm ascending it is head-up and i'll be honest my ascent can be a little faster than normal especially if a guest breaks the surface since I need to make sure they are okay. As I get closer to the surface I start to feel some chest tightness, it occurs in the very center of my chest where my sternum is. A little bit of a dull ache happens but its not severe or anything so i'd give it a 2-4 on the scale. There is no other pain associated and the tightness only happens in my chest. The tightness, being uncomfortable, and tiny bit of aches go away relatively fast usually withing a few hours or so. I have no other issues doing any type of cardio, breathing, or any type of pain or breathing issues. The event ONLY occurs when im ascending so im confused on whats going on. During my dives i feel fine but when im reaching close to the surface is when the tightness begiins.

I apologize for the mistype! The feeling I experience after a dive is only a tad bit of tightness. It isnt present very long and I do psych myself up a lot by using google to check for whats wrong. There is so pain at all after dives and I function and feel normal. Was hoping to avoid a doctors visit! Would a diet change and re-descending for a minute or two be a possible solution? Also with recurrent pulm embolisms would this be able to resolve in 6 weeks time?

Ok, so for clarity, there is no pain after the dives, it's only a transient pain as you ascend, and you have tightness after the dive? Apologies, that's not the impression I got from your initial post and the first one quoted above. You could try changing your diet, eating less gas-producing foods, but if this is happening after every dive, it's still concerning for pulmonary barotrauma. This is different from pulmonary embolus (PE). A pulmonary barotrauma could be from a lung defect like a bleb or bullae or from some other source of air trapping. Pulmonary embolus is typically a blood clot that occludes blood flow through the pulmonary arteries. Different animal altogether. PM sent as well.

Best regards,
DDM