Skydiving and sinus problems?

[JMC 0]

About a year and a half ago I woke up very congested. That day I did three 14K skydives. since then I haven't been able to breathe out of the right side of my nose. Since then I have been diagnosed with a deviated septum and am having corrective surgery next week. Has anyone ever heard of something like this? Could the change in pressure + my sinuses being congested have caused a diveated septum?

John

[chuteless 1]

It would probably help if yoyu would tell us what a diveated septum is.

I have had sinusb allergies since 1961, and have jumped congested and unable to breathe through my nose. I have taken lots of different allergy medicines, and have never heard of a deviated septum.

Explain what it is.

Bill Cole D-41

[koz2000 1]

This might help

http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/sinus/deviated-septum.cfm

The shape of your nasal cavity could be the cause of chronic sinusitis. The nasal septum is the wall dividing the nasal cavity into halves; it is composed of a central supporting skeleton covered on each side by mucous membrane. The front portion of this natural partition is a firm but bendable structure made mostly of cartilage and is covered by skin that has a substantial supply of blood vessels. The ideal nasal septum is exactly midline, separating the left and right sides of the nose into passageways of equal size.
Estimates are that 80 percent of all nasal septums are off-center, a condition that is generally not noticed. A "deviated septum" occurs when the septum is severely shifted away from the midline. The most common symptom from a badly deviated or crooked septum is difficulty breathing through the nose. The symptoms are usually worse on one side, and sometimes actually occur on the side opposite the bend. In some cases the crooked septum can interfere with the drainage of the sinuses, resulting in repeated sinus infections

______________________________________________
- Does this small canopy make my balls look big? - J. Hayes -

[PlayDough 0]

With my first 40 or so jumps I had problems with my nose running during freefall. I've not jumped while I was conjested, however friends/family of a great deal more experience then myself suggest that you should not jump while conjested. This can cause a great deal of problems.

That has got to be the longest run on sentense I've ever written.

Good luck with the surgery bud... Even minor surgery sux.

Blue Skies.

[ickleFish 0]

Quote

With my first 40 or so jumps I had problems with my nose running during freefall.

I get that.....darn annoying it is......

What did you do to stop it (apart from using a clip)?

[CrazyJulie 0]

I had that same problem. I had my surgery about three years ago now. You'll be glad to have it done, but you're going to feel like shit for a couple of days. I still get a little stuffed up when making several jumps in a day, but overall, breathe much better than I used to. Good luck! Oh, and I don't think the skydiving caused your problem - you've probably had it for quite some time.

CJ

Peace, Love, and Good Happiness Stuff

[chuteless 1]

After posting that bit last nigght, I was lying in bed thinking about "deviated septum, and thought it may have been some deviate thing that happened in the month of Septumber LOL

However, your explanation is quite good. I had my nose broken twice, and between the breaks, I had a doctor who chiselled out the broken bone to make it possible to breathe. I guess he was undeviating my septum or something.

When congested, I squirt some membrane shrinking.nasal spray and in a few minutes, I can breathe easily.

Thanks for the explanation....god job someone around here knows what he is talking about.

It proves one is never too old to learn something new.

Bill Cole D-41

[jkm2500 0]

I have a lot of problems with my sinuses and skydiving. I used to get at least 1 sinus infection a month due to riding in unpressurized aircraft. I have been on all kinds of meds to try to clear things up. One of the best things that I did was quit smoking. I havent made a jump snce I quit, but I haven't had a sinus infection either. I went through all the steps(thank god for army doctors and their steps) to get surgery. But I ended up in Iraq. I still have to take the meds in order to be able to breath, but it is much better. I am looking forward to getting the surgery.

Easy remedies are sudafed and afrin. Use it on days that you are congested and it will reduce sinus probs when you jump.

The primary purpose of the Armed Forces is to prepare for and to prevail in combat should the need arise.

[sdgregory 0]

I have chronic sinusitis and the first two weeks I jumped I had a bad infection. When I went up to altitude I felt my ears expand and it took two weeks for them to go down. Felt like the congestion in my head went right into my ears. I have not yet had the problem you describe. Of course I do not have a deviated septum that I am aware of either.

Thanks for the heads up.

[Kramer 0]

When I was going through AFF, I made like 9 jumps in 5 days or so. My sinuses were a complete wreck for about a week after that. At the end of some of the days where I did multiple jumps that day, I would hardly be able to hear anything. Even a week after AFF, I would have to yawn and pop my ears every now and then.

I think I'm going to go to a doctor to find out what's goin on. I'm pretty sure I have allergies or something anyway, so it might not hurt to get some medicine or something before I get back in the sky.

-Kramer

The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!

[hmatousek 0]

I have been told by numerous people not to jump when sinuses are hurttin. It can cause lots of problems with not only breathing but hearing as well. One of the ways I have delt with this, cause my sinuse pressure is not that bad, I can handle the plane ride up. Is to do hop and pops from altitude. This way I can still skydive, work on canopy skills, and not have the quick pressure change mess me up.

Good luck with the surgery.
Heather

Life doesn't have to be perfect in order to be beautiful!

[JMC 0]

Thanks for all the replies. I get the cronic sinus infectins too. I want to go skydive right now but will wait 'till after my surgery. Does anyone know how long after surgery I should wait before skydiving again?

John

[Unstable 8]

Whenever I jump congested, it FU#(ing kills me. If my sinus can't drain, I land with TERRIBLE pain in my teeth & Cheeks.

=========Shaun ==========

[Beerlight 0]

People..people...people....... It is extremely important to never, repeat never jump or even fly when your sinuses/ears are congested.

Normal pressure exchange can be compromised, and can seriously damage your sinuses/ears. A small problem can turn into a dangerous problem (major sinus or ear block), and absolutely blow out or perforate your eardrum.

As Heather mentioned above, during that ride to altitude, the small pocket of air in the middle ear will expand (Boyles Law) and naturally escape (or not because of congestion) thru the Eustachian tube.

On descent the reverse is true, you will have to equalize that pressure by blowing air back thru the eustachian tube (Valsalva Manuever). If you have a bunch of muscus and push that back up into the sinuses or middle ear, you are setting yourself up for a NASTY ear or sinus infection. Bacteria LOVE the warm, moist environment of the muscus lined sinuses or the middle ear, and eventually a sinus/ear infection develops.

Keep jumping with that problem and you can lose or damage your hearing........

Just do a google search for "problems with flying with a cold", and you'll get your answer. Probably the one you didn't want.

I work at an altitude chamber unit, and have for the past 22 years. Think I qualify for giving advice in this area. Sorry for the long post.

[sdgregory 0]

For the record I learned my lesson. Since then I have had two sinus infections on trips to the DZ with my buddy and I just watched him jump all day and hung out with my chica Kelley who also had a blocked head. It is not worth the risks.


Funny, I just realized the idiocy of that statement, we don't want to risk our hearing by jumping with a cold but we will risk our lives by jumpingperiod? Oh well, no justifying the need for sky.

[murphyka 0]

Quote

Easy remedies are sudafed and afrin. Use it on days that you are congested and it will reduce sinus probs when you jump.

I just got over a severe sinus infection where I had started using afrin because I thought that I was suffocating at night. The doctor told me that using Afrin is one of the worst things that you can do. It is highly addictive and can damage the membranes in your nose. He said that once your mucus membranes in your nose are damaged, you will need to use it all the time to be able to breathe normally.

He gave me a prescription for Allegra-D and it helps with the congestion. You might want to try that.

Blue Skies!!!
Kimmy

[cruzit 0]

Never, never jump with sinus congestion. Several years ago I ruptured my sinus while jumping with a cold. Not only did it hurt like hell...but two weeks later when climbing to altitude, everyone in the cessna thought I was dying because of the blood clots which came out as the sinuses opened up on the ride up...Yuck!

[ricfjumps 0]

I have the same question. Has anyone had a deviated septum repaired and if so, how long was it before you were able to skydive again. I'm going in for surgery next month and wondering how long I'll be grounded.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

Odd thing is my sinuses are typically pretty fucked up but they seem to be better on days when I jump. My allergies will be killing me, I'll go do a jump or two and they'll stop bothering me for a few days.

'Course sometimes when I get down my goggles look like that one scene from Alien...

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?