Head feels like its full of water!

[MattWilliams]

i have done a few dives lately and like my head feels like its full of water! and my ears feel weird for a few days :/ whats wrong with me?

 

[elan]

90% of our body is water so your situation is in a sense is normal.

 

[TMHeimer]

I'd figure you got water deep in the ears --maybe by being sideways or upside down in the water--ei. when donning fins maybe. Quick head turns can also do it. Ear drops work well for me. I use "Doc's Pro Plugs" if no hood on.

 

[Scuba_Noob]

Though it's probably nothing serious, hold off on diving for a week and see if it improves. If it doesn't, check with a doc, just in case.

 

[Texasguy]

When you say full of water, do you feel heaviness or distorted hearing?

 

[CT-Rich]

If you have head congestion after a dive, you may have not cleared your ears adaquately. Remember to clear your ears often, before you need to. You might have it checked out if it doesn't clear up in a few days. If you have pain going up or down it means that you could damage your ear drum and you need to either scrub the dive or at least go up a until you can clear your ears. Once irritated, the sinuses can be a pain in the a** to heal, so it is best not to push it. A day out of the water is better than having to scrub a week of vacation.

 

[flots am]

i have done a few dives lately and like my head feels like its full of water! and my ears feel weird for a few days :/ whats wrong with me?

Congratulations! If your ears feel like they have water in them, but it doesn't come out when you lay on your side, you probably have have barotrauma. You do have fluid in your ear, but it's behind your eardrum, not on the outside.

Here's a good reference for how your ears work, what's probably going on and how to avoid it next time.

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/download/DiversGuidetoEars.pdf

The good news is that it should clear up by itself. If it's not getting better in a few days, you should see a doctor.

For more information, check out: http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/

Also: http://www.alertdiver.com/?articleNo=702

flots.

 

[RonFrank]

Flots provided a good description of what to do.

The next question is what will you do differently so this does not happen again?