What is the likelihood that scuba diving or flying brings on a vertigo attack?
During scuba diving and flying it is possible your entire body will be exposed to larger-than-normal pressure fluctuations. There is no reason why these changes should affect the endolymphatic compartment of your inner ear, since the pressures in your head routinely vary with posture, sneezing, lifting objects, etc. Some Meniere’s patients are uncomfortable flying because they may become nauseous. However, this is an incredibly complex issue and involves more factors than pressure alone. Both flying and diving may also be associated with increased vestibular stimulation (if you are looking around under water) and, depending on the individual, may involve considerable stress as well. Any one of these could represent an increased “risk factor” and may increase the probability of an attack. On the other hand, many Meniere’s sufferers fly and some scuba dive without problems. One notable Meniere’s sufferer, Alan Shephard, flew to the moon and back. The conclusion is that it depends on the
