Reverse block at 90 feet
several years ago i was diving w/ a group of 5 for my apprenticeship/training as a DM when it happened. an easy dive to most. it was a negative descend towards a sunken fishing vessel. i was about to do a some sort of pike dive position when i felt it (in less than 4feet from the surface). an extreme pain in my sinuses/ forehead and on my ears. i was embarassed to abort the dive so i went on, w/ the help of a guide rope i pulled my self down slowly. every inch deeper was painful (no pun intended) when we reached 90 to 120 feet the pain was completely gone. i was relieved untill it was time to ascend.
we were in about 90feet when i felt it again. but this time it was more painful. the higher we go the more painful it was. it's as if my eyes would pop out and my ears would burst (that's how it felt). i signed/signaled my friend who had more dive experience than i that there was something wrong. that something bad was happening to me but she could not do anything but stare and wonder.
by 50feet i had pain on my entire left face and i felt it radiate towards my scalp and to my nape. it felt like the veins and arteries in my head would burst. i could feel a lot of air in my sinuses that could not escape. i became dizzy and a bit disoriented. my vision was shaking. my eyes were gong crazy. they kept trying to roll backwards.
i kept on exhaling through my nose thinking i would help. i kept on purging my mask and saw some blood in the water/bubbles. i did not dare to equalize. i kept on praying to God. i was scared. at 10 or 20 feet and w/ atleast 500psi left i know i will survive so i decided to stay underwater a bit longer just to let some air escape my sinuses. when i reached the surface i was thankful but the pain and the feeling of fullness in my head was still there. i was still in the water when i felt and heard a pop in my nostrils then blood came gushing out my nose like a faucet (literally). i could not care less in the blood that was pouring out my nose. all i could think that time was "FINALLY! the pressure in my head was gone...(and also the sharks! what if they smell my blood?! hahaha)" i felt an instant relief.
the other divers were stunned even the 4 doctors in our group at the resort. the only thing i noticed after the dive was my right ear. it was still painful. there was a throbbing pain. i could not hear as if i have a cold and there was like a crackling sound inside. i have the same problem on my left ear but it was minimal. my right ear was deaf for more than 1 month. i could only hear cracks and deep wind like noises.
when i got back to the city my 2 ear doctors could not diagnose anyhting except that the veins in my ears were so red and as if it was agitated. they did not allow me to dive for quite some time. so i missed a lot of good dives w/ the group. untill now when i hear loud noises or the volume on the tv or radio were to high my ear would crackle and i would hear windlike noises. and a week ago when i went snorkeling my right ear would still hurt when i dive.
so from then on i promised myself to abort any dive if i dont feel like it or if i sense someting wrong. i will not care on what other people would say...blah blah...(hopefully ill have the courge to implement it)
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and NO, im not a DM nor a SI. im still a regular advanced diver. i aborted my dream of becoming a professional scuba diver. after that incident i finally realized that being a DM/SI means having a great deal of Responsibility. not just to yourself but also to other people...groups of people...
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thanks seasnake 
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