Bent. I guess it really can happen to me.

[flots am]

It is possible that your whiplash injury makes you more susceptible to DCS.
2. It is possible you did not have DCS but instead got an unnecessary chamber ride for symptoms related to your whiplash injury.

Happily, a chamber ride seems to be a reasonably low risk treatment even if it doesn't fix anything.

OTOH, it would be nice to know if you had stenosis instead of DCS, since it would deserve a follow-up with a different doctor.

flots.

 

[TechDeep]

Valid points indeed. And trust me, I wanted to stay away from the chamber if at all possible. For me, the overriding factor was the relief of symptoms after about 20 minutes on O2. Losing all use of your left arm and hand will get your attention. I just don't believe that the symptoms of stenosis would have come on, and gone away that suddenly.


By the time we got back to the dock, I felt fine, and as I have said, I considered sending the ambulance back home. But at the end of the day, the thought of my symptoms returning after being off O2, and going to sleep was enough to go on to the hospital, and have them give DAN a call. In hindsight, it is what I would continue to recommend to anyone in that situation. I do agree that DAN is going to err on the side of saftey. They've done this a hell of a lot more times than I have, so as much as I didn't want to, common sense told me to listen to them.

 

[boulderjohn]

Valid points indeed. And trust me, I wanted to stay away from the chamber if at all possible. For me, the overriding factor was the relief of symptoms after about 20 minutes on O2. Losing all use of your left arm and hand will get your attention. I just don't believe that the symptoms of stenosis would have come on, and gone away that suddenly.

They do. They go away in about the same amount of time you describe.

You can accelerate the relief if you know what to do. My physical therapist showed me that in certain circumstances, putting my chin in a certain position and holding it there can open up the foramen pinching the nerve and relieve the symptoms in minutes. You can also have a nerve impingement in the shoulder area (which I also have), in which case moving your arm a certain way can relieve symptoms quickly.

I did not say you might have stenosis. I said that it is possible your whiplash may have created a situation similar to stenosis. It would take an MRI to tell.

 

[Dauntless]

Think posters are trying to point out that your "work" may not be done until you eliminate other causes or factors. Sure anyone faced with the situation you were in, would do the same, or hopefully do the same Think you showed great judgement, continue the process...

 

[TechDeep]

Think posters are trying to point out that your "work" may not be done until you eliminate other causes or factors. Sure anyone faced with the situation you were in, would do the same, or hopefully do the same Think you showed great judgement, continue the process...

That I have. Cervical spine MRI, and also complete cardiac checkup.