Why does decompression sickness occur

These are a medical emergency, and you should seek emergency medical services immediately. You can also contact DAN, which operates an emergency phone line 24 hours a day. They can assist with evacuation assistance and help you locate a hyperbaric chamber nearby.

You should still seek medical care. In mild cases, treatment may include breathing percent oxygen from a mask. The treatment for more serious cases of DCS involves recompression therapy, which is also known as hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This unit may fit one person. Some hyperbaric chambers are larger and can fit several people at once. If recompression therapy is started promptly after a diagnosis, you may not notice any effects of DCS afterward.

For severe cases, there may also be long-term neurological effects. In this case, physical therapy may be required. Work with your doctor, and keep them informed about any lasting side effects. To prevent decompression sickness, most divers make a safety stop for a few minutes before ascending to the surface.

This is usually done around 15 feet 4. They may follow the guidelines for air compression as outlined by the United States Navy. Before you dive, talk to the dive master about an adjustment plan and how slowly you need to ascend to the surface. You should avoid flying or going up to high elevations for 24 hours after diving. This will give your body time to adjust to the change in altitude.

Decompression sickness can be a dangerous condition, and it needs to be treated immediately. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

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Vomiting in this position is dangerous; if it happens, turn the diver to the side until the airway is clear and resuscitation can resume in the supine position. Use supplemental oxygen while administering breaths to increase the percentage of oxygen breathed by the injured diver. Even if CPR is successful and the diver regains consciousness, continue administering percent oxygen until the diver arrives at a medical facility and health care professionals assume care.

The only noticeable symptom is severe pain that is unchanging or has progressed slowly over a few hours. The diver does not appear to be in distress except for the pain, and the neurological signs and symptoms are not evident without a careful history and examination.

Administer percent oxygen and give fluids by mouth. Do not attempt to treat the pain with analgesics until advised to do so by medical personnel. Continue providing oxygen until arrival at the medical treatment facility. Symptoms are either not visible or have progressed slowly for several days. The main signs or symptoms are vague complaints of pain or an abnormal sensation, which could indicate something other than DCI. Obtain as complete a diving history as possible and do a neurological evaluation.

Then go to the nearest medical facility for evaluation. If possible, obtain and document the following information for all suspected cases of decompression illness:. The exam is easy to learn, and individuals with no medical experience can perform it. Do as much of the examination as possible, but do not let it interfere with prompt evacuation to a medical treatment facility. Find the instructions at On-Site Neurological Examination.

For recreational divers, whose livelihood is something other diving, a conservative approach will help minimize the chance that a diving injury will recur.

You should always consult with a physician before returning to diving. Even if symptoms were not severe and they resolved completely, if you have had multiple instances of decompression illness, you must make special considerations. If you are getting DCI when other divers who dive the same profile are not, you may have elevated susceptibility.

In these cases, consult a dive medicine specialist to determine if you can safely resume diving. Who Gets Decompression Illness? Decompression Sickness DCS also called the bends or caisson disease results from inadequate decompression following exposure to increased pressure.

Arterial Gas Embolism If a diver ascends without exhaling, air trapped in the lungs expands and may rupture lung tissue. Flying After Diving. There are three kinds of injuries from pressure changes when diving: Barotrauma: Tissues near the air-filled spaces of your body—such as your ears, sinuses, dental roots, and lungs—can be damaged if your body can't equalize the pressure between it and the surrounding water.

This kind of injury is called barotrauma. As you descend, water pressure increases, and the volume of air in your body decreases. This can cause problems such as sinus pain or a ruptured eardrum. As you ascend, water pressure decreases, and the air in your lungs expands. This can make the air sacs in your lungs rupture and make it hard for you to breathe. If air bubbles get into an artery, they can cause a blockage that affects your organs.

The blockage is called an arterial gas embolism. Depending on where the bubbles are, you could have a heart attack or a stroke. Decompression sickness: Often called "the bends," decompression sickness happens when a scuba diver ascends too quickly. Divers breathe compressed air that contains nitrogen. At higher pressure under water, the nitrogen gas goes into the body's tissues.

This doesn't cause a problem when a diver is down in the water. And if a diver rises to the surface decompresses at the right rate, the nitrogen can slowly and safely leave the body through the lungs. But if a diver rises too quickly, the nitrogen forms bubbles in the body. This can cause tissue and nerve damage. In extreme cases, it can cause paralysis or death if the bubbles are in the brain. Nitrogen narcosis: Deep dives can cause so much nitrogen to build up in the brain that you can become confused and act as though you've been drinking alcohol.

You might make poor decisions, such as taking out your regulator because you think you can breathe underwater. Narcosis usually happens only on dives of more than feet.