Could/should I dive with cold/allergy?

[s.s.seafan]

Hi all,

I had a vacation planned for this weekend to go diving in the Caribean for the first time. I've been looking forward to this trip, and got OW certified for it. Unfortunately I've caught a cold-like virus (first my 3-yr-old got it), with some coughing (with some mucus in throat) and a littl stuffy nose every now and then. My little one had it for 2 weeks before the symptoms went away, and I've had the symptoms for over a week now, still not sure if they'll go away before the trip.

I learned from the PADI OW class that ideally we should not go diving with cold or allergy. I'd hate to waste my first chance to dive, with such mild symptoms. I remember my instructor said that once you are experienced it's not so bad or such a big deal to dive with a cold. What should I expect if I dive with it? as a beginner I'll stay in the 20-40ft range. Will I have problem equalizing? is that the only possible problem?

thanks,

Jason

 

[sabbath999]

You've already paid for the trip, go on the trip.

See what you are like when you are there... sometimes a change of scenery and sea air will knock out any nasal problems. Additionally, I would recommend you get saline nasal flush and start on that right away...

Don't dive if you are sick, or congested... but don't give up on a dive days from now on how you feel today. Things change.

If you just can't do it, are stuffed and can't go down, then break out the ole snorkle and enjoy the fishes from the top.

 

[jim2386]

, I would recommend you get saline nasal flush and start on that right away...

Two Words:

Neti Pot: SinuCleanse Neti Pot Nasal Wash Kit : Target

Had a sinus infection for 6 - 7 weeks. Learned about neti pot, used it religiously, sinus infection was gone in 2 days. I use it after every day of diving to clean all that crap out of your nose you may have inhaled from the water. Two thumbs up.

And yes, go on the trip. I have gone with a cold before. For some reason my body knows I'm going diving and usually when I get to the site, my immune system kicks into overdrive and my nose clears up just long enough to dive Worst case...you're not at work

 

[s.s.seafan]

where to get a "saline nasal flush"? is that the same as the "SinuCleanse"?

 

[sabbath999]

Yep, there are several brands and SunuCleanse is one of em.

 

[Hotpuppy]

where to get a "saline nasal flush"? is that the same as the "SinuCleanse"?

You can make it with warm water and about a spoonfull of salt per cup of water. So one common table spoon of salt in a coffee cup is sufficient.

With practice you can learn to snort the water without breathing it.

the key to the solution is that it needs to have some salt in it. Not too much, and not none at all. If you snort pure water it will sting and "burn" the membranes in your nose. Not the end of the world, but it can be painful for some people.

What the warm water does is loosens the mucus in your nose and resets the PH balance making it harder for bad-nasties(r) to live there. :cool2:

You can do it a couple of times per day. It's not a cure all, but it's equivalent to brushing your teeth.

If you have a gym membership, go sit in the steamroom. Warm moist air will normally open your sinuses and let them drain. Soaking face down in a hot tub (snorkel?) will usually do the same thing.

 

[knowone]

Go. Enjoy. Let your 3 year old do the first dive then check the outcome.

 

[Divedoggie]

Be careful and don't push it. As advised above, you can go snorkeling. Survive to dive another day.
Its partly a clearing issue, but more importantly, you do not want any mucus or phlegm that can trap small amounts of air in your lungs. As you ascend and the air expands it could cause a lung over-expansion injury at a micro level. Its an insidious problem that you possibly wouldn't even be aware of, until you find that the result is emphysema. If you damage the lung tissue in the alveoli where oxygen exchange occurs with capillaries, the result is permanent shortness of breath or worse.

 

[highdesert]

My OW instructor related how she had a trip planned that she was NOT going to pass up due to a cold ... twelve-hour Sudafed, one each morning during the trip, did the job.

My wife/buddy, with really bad sinuses, also takes Sudafed every day she dives. No, not a PADI recommendation, but no problems with the twelve-hour variety. So I'm not recommending it to you, only relating what others have done with success.

She also starts with an Rx steroidal nasal spray called Flonase a week before a dive trip, then every morning through the trip.

 

[jmasin]

Soaking face down in a hot tub (snorkel?) will usually do the same thing.

Wife comes home: What the F are you doing?!

LOL