Decompression Sickness

The thrill of scuba diving is equaled with the numerous dangers behind each diving activity. This is why I initially wrote an article about nitrogen narcosis that often occurs during deep water diving. This time, allow me to discuss about decompression sickness.

The above mentioned syndrome happens when nitrogen bubbles form in the bodily tissues and the bloodstream. This is the result of a sudden change in pressure between deep water areas and their surfaces. I already experienced a mild decompression incident when I dived the Red Sea. Probably because of excitement, I swam as fast as I could towards the shore. But in the midst of my swim, I felt a bit dizzy so I stopped for a while and allowed the pressure to stabilize. Only then did I learn that such incidents occur unexpectedly and if a scuba diver is unaware of it, he might lose his consciousness and worse, die while the nitrogen suffocates him.

Decompression sickness shares the same symptoms with nitrogen narcosis. There's no specific medication for decompression syndrome, only prevention. But here's a helpful tip to novice divers: do some swimming breathing exercises while increasing the depth of your diving. This way, you are able to assess your capability in handling shifting water pressure.