The undersea world, with all its natural components and living creatures, helps divers take a large dose of relief and calmness that is necessary to get rid of the stresses of the surface world.

This is where divers enjoy practicing their unique hobby within the density of water, the salinity of the sea, and among millions of living organisms that only a few people can get to see it  up close in their real habitat.

There are a few divers who suffer from headaches in the following hours of diving, and this headache did not come from nowhere. There are several reasons that we will learn to avoid this bad and annoying feeling which may last for long hours and maybe days.

Don’t let the headache affect you negatively in the next dive.

We have summarized the reasons, that may cause headaches after diving, under the following headlines;

 

Do not press hard on the body:

Do not wear a narrow cap on the head. Do not wear a suit that is smaller than your size. Do not tighten the mask firmly on the face. Do not place the regulator on the jaw joint.

 

Do you still feel pain in your head?

This is certainly because the reasons are not over yet.

 

First of all, pay attention to the lifetime of the equipment. If you are using equipment that is ten or more years old, check its company website and confirm whether it is still suitable for use or in need to be developed or changed?

You can be using equipment that is a decade-old and then there could be a defect, in the regulator or the mask’s lens for example, that causes you a headache; so always check the quality of your equipment.

Also, pay attention to the way the regulator is placed in the mouth and do not place it on the jaw joint; and when placed in the correct position on the front of the jaw, do not over pressure on it. The regulator will never move as long as you continue to breathe. Then check how you wear the mask; pull the rubber strap gently onto the head. Some divers pull the strap until it is almost ruptured; so, pull it between the two sides in a gentle and balanced way and do not press on the face or the head.

 

Check the location of the cylinder:

Prevent your head from being hit with the cylinder or  the first stage of the regulator while diving. Maybe you will not feel the pain of the blow during the dive, but you will definitely feel the headache after the dive as a result of the several, light, and repeated strikes on a sensitive area in the back of your head.

Is your head is still hurting?

Adjust the location of the cylinder and fasten it properly before diving.

 

“дышащий” “respiration” “Breathing’’

In all languages, breathe.

Never stop breathing and do not hold your breath for any reason.

Holding your breath leads to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the body, which inevitably causes a strong and severe headache after diving.

Breathe properly. Some people accumulate carbon dioxide even when they don’t hold their breathe that’s as they breathe improperly by breathing deeply and then exhaling naturally sometimes. When a diver takes simple sips and intermittent breath and then delays the exhalation, carbon dioxide is accumulated. So, to avoid that, breathe properly and naturally.

 

Drink water:

Thirst and dry throat lead to a higher probability of having a headache and to a faster feeling of headache symptoms. You will feel the headache as soon as you leave the water. You will not wait several hours before feeling the headache if you dive while feeling thirsty or having a dry throat because being exposed to the sun while being on the surface will make your body loses a lot of fluids. Moreover, during diving, you will lose another quantity of fluids. Avoid dehydration and drink water at all time, even a day before you go diving. Drink more and more fluids.

Also,  avoid drinking alcohol, coffee, and green tea.

 

Monitor body temperature:

Exposure to cold water and diving without a suit is considered as one of the headaches causes. Also, diving without a suit even in warm water will make you feel cold and exposed to the air after leaving the water and then causes you headaches. So, choose the appropriate suit thickness for the place and season of diving that you are in.

 

Cylinder’s air:

Always make sure to fill your cylinder with air from a reliable center. Avoid filling the cylinder in the centers that place the air pump in a closed place. Make sure that the center is keen to change the pump filters, then check if the pump has any oil leaks or something like that.

The polluted and impure air is a major cause of headaches after diving. Sometimes, the polluted air may be the main reason to kill a diver in case of air pollution with carbon monoxide, for example. So always make sure to fill the cylinders from a known and reliable place.

Also, in the case of renting a cylinder, check the date of examination and if it is within the allowed service period.

 

Fitness:

Exercises are very important for divers as it reduces the impact of all of the reasons for the aforementioned headache. There are a few that can be easily practiced. Start by walking as it is an easy sport and a simple exercise for everyone.

 

Paranasal Sinuses:

Allergic sinusitis, deviated nasal septum, sinus congestion, skull fracture in the nose place and other sinus related injuries will cause you headaches.

Some of these conditions, such as allergies, can be treated by using some drugs that the diver inhales to open the airways in the nose and the problem is solved; while some divers inhale a little quantity of the seawater to purify the sinuses and remove congestion since its mainly composed of water and salt. Some resort to drugstore products such as sprays and other products. They are all useful in solving such a problem. Practicing diving continuously, these products can be dispensed. However, some conditions require the intervention of a doctor, clinical treatment, review, or a complete treatment program and sometimes surgical intervention. No matter what, the sinus problems must be treated before diving as it will severely hamper the compensation and the diver will feel severe pain, in the forehead and around the eye area, once he gets into the water and it could be worse. So, hasten to solve these problems.

 

“Conclusion”

Treat the headache as soon as you feel it:

The practice of diving continuously will make you determine the saurce of the headache. Treat the condition as soon as it happens. Do not deal with the headache carelessly.

We mentioned some of the annoying symptoms that can be controlled during the day of diving to continue the process naturally on the same day as soon as the problem is resolved and the causes are eliminated; whether by changing the head cap or expanding the mask strap or not pressing the regulator strongly, etc. The diver may also need to use some medicines and analgesics to be able to keep diving after the disappearing of the symptoms and the elimination of the causes.

Another type of headache is caused by the disease of hypotension. A diver can recognize it when the headache is accompanied by pain in joints and bones besides nausea. If these symptoms meet at one time, hasten to breathe the oxygen-enriched air, drink a quantity of fresh and pure water, and seek medical help immediately.

 

From now on we will enjoy diving without headaches

We wish you safe and enjoyable diving !

 

المدرب / عصام الجندي

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