What does joint pain feel like?

[UnderwaterJess]

Went on a two day advanced cert dive last week and by end of the last dive on day 1 was feeling slight joint pain along with light dizziness, nausea. Felt better the next day and did two more dives. Cleared by DAN.

I am still feeling joint pain that travels from joint to joint mostly in my knees, hips, lower back and fingers. I was extremely fatigued upon return Sunday and slept as soon as I got home. Woke up Monday to extremely swollen hands more so on the left side, dizziness, nausea, headache, ringing ears. More sleeping. Cleared by DAN and hospital. Everything checks out perfectly after physical, auditory and neurological exams.

My main question now is I have traveling and intermittent pain in my joints and my muscles still feel a bit weak. What does the joint pain feel like? Is it supposed to be persistent instead of intermittent? Can it travel? Are there long term effects if this was dcs? Can it still be treated / is there a need to treat?

 

[TONY CHANEY]

Yes to all the above. But it could have been a great class.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi Jess,

DCS limb pain can be bilateral, is not limited to joints, and can range from a mild ache to severe pain. If it radiates, nerves can be involved. However, it doesn't travel from area to area.

Aside from that, I'm not sure about the order of events in your narrative. In the first paragraph you say you felt better the next day, did two more dives, and were "cleared" by DAN. That implies that you were asymptomatic. In the next paragraph you say that you "still" feel pain. Can you clarify exactly when it reoccurred? Also, which hospital were you examined in?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[lowflyer]

Jess,
As DDM states, the history you give is not clear. I can say that the symptoms you describe can be caused by a number of things, some autoimmune, some infectious with or without autoimmune consequences, or other things. Unless all of your symptoms are gone, you would best be served by continuing to pursue a thorough history, examination and lab testing addressing possible issues other than DCS without further ado.