Skydiving with Colds

[valcore 0]

Well I wish I had been thinking when I made my jump on saturday. The morning started out great, I woke up at 7am walked outside to a perfectly sunny day, not a cloud in sight and there was a slight wind coming from the east. I thought to myself what a great day to skydive. I got on the first load (because I brought two first time jumper) and noticed that I was having to pop my ears more then normal, I though maybe this is because I am a little conjested and did not give it a second thought. My skydive went great until I was under canopy at this point I though that my right ear was bleeding it hurt so bad. I hurryied to make a fast safe landing, removed my helmet to check for blood, thankfully there was none. I grounded myself for the rest of the weekend due to the pain in my ear and the fact that I could not hear. Well the doctor told me monday that my inner ear was filled with blood which is why I could not hear. Luckly I did not rupture my ear drum, he said it will hear in a few weeks and that my hearing should return to normal. Has anyone else had any similar experiences.

The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I'm from the government and I'm here to help’. ~Ronald Reagan

30,000,000 legal firearm owners killed no one yesterday.

[Airbender 0]

I had the same thing happen. I flew to Michigan to pick up a car I had just bought all the way through the flight I felt great but on the descent I felt like my head was about to pop. Would hate to feel like that under canopy.

[Beerlight 0]

Quote

I got on the first load (because I brought two first time jumper) and noticed that I was having to pop my ears more then normal,

Were you trying to clear your ears during the climb to altitude?

[FFlyer 0]

Yes, been there, done that. I ruptured both my eardrums earlier this year. Very unpleasant. Im now far more cautious when it comes to skydiving with even something as small as a blocked nose.

[valcore 0]

Yes I was they were popping more then ususal

The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I'm from the government and I'm here to help’. ~Ronald Reagan

30,000,000 legal firearm owners killed no one yesterday.

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

Yes I was they were popping more then ususal

Ok...let's make sure we're on the same sheet of music, here... you were doing a Valsava (plugging your nose and blowing) or were yawning/chewing to equalize pressure on the way up?

A Valsava will *INCREASE* pressure in the inner ear, possibly to the point were you could rupture an eardrum on the ride to altitude.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[valcore 0]

I was yawning and chewing to pop my ears

The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I'm from the government and I'm here to help’. ~Ronald Reagan

30,000,000 legal firearm owners killed no one yesterday.

[Beerlight 0]

DO not clear your ears during the climb. They clear automatically. A little popping and clicking is normal. If anything, you can wiggle your jaw a little.

You have to only "clear" your ears on descent.

[mdrejhon 8]

I had a lot of ear pain problems in my first 10 jumps or so. Ear pain under canopy and landing was one of the things that might have prevented me from skydiving.

Now, ear pain is a nonissue these days. I don't seem to pop anymore on the flight to altitude... It doesn't register. At the end of the day I might need to equallize a bit...

Make sure you're NOT congested when you go up. A little hayfever runniness okay, but if your sinuses or ears are congested/blocked, I'd say skip the weekend. The ear pain was a real torture for me. (No blood though)

[dbattman 0]

Taking a sudaphed helps, particularly during the colder months when everyone has the sniffles and a little congestion.

[cmchristian 0]

Well I'll tell you that I never had any problems with my ears but I did have some severe eye pain when I jumped with a cold.

After my 2nd student jump my eye felt like someone stuck a pen in it and I could not see. What happened was that my nasal sinus unclogged and went all over my goggles blocking my vision in my right eye. On top of that I have alot of pain in my right eye. I thought my eye exploded and I was blind. Nervous I was for a bit.

Chris
--------
"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body; but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting 'Holy s#$* what a ride!'"

[RogerRamjet 0]

This was back in the mid 70's (and I'll tell you why that matters at the end). I was on Jim Hooper's 10 man team at Z-Hills, but I lived in Miami working for Bill Booth. So, I traveled each weekend to practice with the team, sometimes driving, sometimes flying commercial.

One weekend, I had a cold and during the first jump of the day, I was having some problems bleeding out the nose, etc. So, I went in to the local drug store and asked the guy behind the counter what he recommended. He said that scuba divers who have to work under water for a living were using a new drug called sudophed and it could be had "over the counter." I bought some and it worked great, no probems the rest of the weekend!

Now, fast forward to 2005. Sudophed as I knew it is no more. The current version is maybe 10% as effective as what they sold then.

My advice would be to find someone who scubas for a living and see what they recommend when you run into this situation. Normally, I would just not jump, but if you're part of a team like I was, you might feel compelled to find a way.

-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519

[Beerlight 0]

More than likely, that "eye" pain you felt was a "frontal" sinus block. Some of the absolute most painful types of blocks are with the sinuses. Ear block hurts, but sinus blocks will bring you to your knees writhing in pain.

[bisqit999 0]

i've had a history of sinus issues and on a few jumps I had problems with my ears even without a cold. What I do now is I'll always take Advil Cold and Sinus before the day starts and I haven't had a problem since.

[BenediktDE 2]

Quote

What I do now is I'll always take Advil Cold and Sinus before the day starts and I haven't had a problem since.

OK, then take care about the evenings:
"Check with your doctor before using these products if you consume 3 or more alcoholic drinks per day. The ibuprofen in these medications can cause stomach bleeding." (from: http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/otcdrugprofiles/drugs/fgotc012.shtml)

Sorry, could not resist.

For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.

[DanglesOZQld 0]

Had "frontal" most times whenever I jump and have any issues - Take it from me you would not want to wish that pain on your worst enemy!!

Take some sinus tablets and nasal spray and if there are any issues on the ground don't even think about going up. Better safe than severley damaged and grounded for some time on this issue.

BSBD!!! -Mark.

"A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

[masterblaster72 0]

I did ten jumps with a cold last month. It sucks. My sinuses were cracking the whole way up, ears popping, nose running. When I got to the ground, my throat was dried out. Still kept jumping anyhow.

One thing you should never do is blow your nose in freefall. I made that mistake on one of those jumps, and the stuff got all over my goggles. Luckily it came only out of one nostril otherwise the only thing I would have seen is snot in both eyes and not the altimeter.

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

[Beerlight 0]

ah, ya know you are opening yourself up to considerable risk if your jumping with that much congestion....

- Eardrum damage/rupture
- Major hearing loss
- Infections

etc....etc...etc.....