Sore lungs after dive

[Noah]

Alright this is my first post over here, so take it easy on me One of the last dives I did, we went straight out to 85' and I started making drops to find structure(without much warm up). I continued to make approx. 25 more drops to shoot fish, often laying on the bottom. After this we worked our way in, stopping at 60, then 40, making for a looong day of freediving.

Physically it didn't bother me at the time, but the next day I noticed my lungs were sore and it felt as if I had a little "fluid" build up in them as well. No coughing up blood by any means, but it still had me concerned about deeper diving.

I've dove this depth before and never had probs... dunno.. any thoughts?

[ReefTroll]

Were they only sore the next day? Or did it continue?

[Noah]

Just the next day, no ill affects thereafter. I just want to know if I need to know anything special before I do deeper drops... thanx

[cdavis]

Welcome to DB, Noah.

Could be more related to time down than absolute depth. I've been working on exhale diving and found that depths that would not bother me in the least in a down and up dive can create lung discomfort, mild coughing, etc if I stay around on the bottom for a minute or so. Funny thing is, it feels fine at depth, then shows up later. At 85 ft, you could be slightly below residual volume and experiencing some negative pressure in the lungs, add time laying on the bottom and a problem might result. Just a guess. If you are going to do a lot of that type of diving, long bottom times in fairly deep water, it might be a good idea to work on diaphragm and chest flexibility, diaphragm stretches, practice some exhale dives in the pool, just go very gradually, etc.

Fair warning, this type of problem can get worse with re-injury and get to be very slow to heal (personal experience).

Where are you diving?

Connor

[Noah]

That sounds precisely like what's happening. Had it happen a few other times mildly, all dives of which were long, deep bottom time hunts. I'll have to research the stretches/exhale dives and see if that helps. Want to do deeper hunting but must get this figured out first...

I dive up and down the west coast of FL, but frequent my home town of Bradenton at least mnthly. Been going out of Homosassa for the last yr.... lots of fish.

Have you resolved this issue personally or is this a limiting factor to max hunting depth?

Thanks for the welcome, Noah

[cdavis]

85 ft is a long haul off Homosassa! I used to dive Bayport, many moons ago. Also LOTS of fish.

You can work through it with increasing flexibility and exhale practice. Much deeper is possible. That's what I'm doing now.

If you ever want to try some pool practice, I use Arlington pool in Sarasota, Mondays for sure and a couple of other days as possible.

Connor

[azapa]

It is probably unrelated, and should not be a "next day" effect, more like right after the dive, but plasma fill can feel uncomfortable for an hour after the dive (in my case). Some people never feel it. When your lungs reach residual volume plasma fills them in the chest cavity to stop caving in. The feeling (for me) as like a big strong hug in the chest area. I only felt this after passing 35M (about 115') but may be less or more for you. Let us know if you discover the exact reason.

[irtrogdor]

I have had the same thing happen to me before. For me is feels like I some how went to the gym and worked out my chest cavity. My best guess is that when you take a huge breath of air then go to depth the ligaments and little bits that hold your lungs in place get stretched out and sore. So then the next day you feel like you worked those muscles out at the gym. I actually had to take advil once to help me fall asleep after a long day of diving.

oh yeah, I only dive to around 12 meters for hunting, so it probably doesn't have much to do with depth...

[Noah]

That's kinda the exact "sore" that I had, it felt as if the actual "lung" muscles(again.. take it easy on me guys, don't have the lingo down yet) were sore as if I'd somehow worked em out at the gym. I can handle sore, but the thing that kinda bothered me was the "wet" feeling that accompanied the soreness. Best I can describe it as, is it felt as if my lungs were "sweating"...

Again, I don't believe it's a depth issue as much as a time down at depth issue. I've researched a little on the subject but still don't understand what stretching or exhale dives would do to remedy the situation.

[Noah]

Could somebody link a "diaphram stretching for dummies" example for me. I've been looking around and what I've found seems similar to the "vacuum pose" that bodybuilders did back in the 70's. Still unsure of what this would have to do with my situation, but hell... I'll try it!

Going out Sun. on a deep H&L trip, get to see if "stretching" has any positive effect.... not that I probably know how to stretch properly... but anyways

[salibandy]

Search Uddiyana Bandha. This should be what you're looking for.