Why do I get a vertigo like feeling at times?

[Daryl Morse]

Do you remember if your decent was head or feet first? This boat Capt. Seemed to think that's why it happens (head first decent). I've tried to do feet first since then but in Cozumel we all had to hit depth quickly on a swift current dive, so again I went down finning head first. If someone can tell me this is the reason, I swear I'll never do it again!

If you went down head first finning, maybe it was related to equalization. My understanding is that the sense of vertigo comes from the inner ear. I'm no ENT, but there could be a connection.

 

[Rickg]

I was in the Keys,first dive 100'. About an hour and a half surface interval. Second dive at about 60' about half way through the dive I felt dizzy and like I was going to lose conciousnous. Signaled my buddy and slowly surfaced. Dive Master felt it may have been an ear squeeze which caused the vertigo type feeling.
Recently in Cozumel. First dive 133' feet. During an elongated safety stop in about 18' of water, same thing. Felt like I had that dizzy vertigo like feeling again. Surfaced and everything was fine.
I'm wondering if it's because sometimes I swim down (head first) into my decent instead of desending feet first. Any pointers or thoughts. It's a scary feeling.
I always stay well hydrated. It also seems to happen to me after I've hit he 100' mark.

Bilznut,

I occasionally experience something similar, in particular when I haven't been diving for a while. I've been able to associate mine with the fact that both of my ears sometimes don't clear simultaneosly which results in a brief sensation of vertigo. It was rather disconcerting the first time it happened but I've since gotten accustomed to it and know that it will pass in a second or two. Although I must admit the first time it happened to me it seemed to last a lot longer than 1-2 seconds, I now chalk that up to my "first time".

And here is a link to a very similar thread.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=65725

The "search" function on Scubaboard is a great source of data.

Rickg