Diving illnesses and conditions
Decompression management
Barotrauma
Nitrogen narcosis
Decompression management
Decompression illness can result when excessive nitrogen in the body starts to form bubbles in the blood vessels and tissues as the diver ascends. The bubbles can cause tissue damage and block blood vessels, obstructing blood flow to vital organs.
Symptoms include:
- mental dullness
- fatigue
- pins and needles (prickling and itching)
- pains in the joints and muscles
- numbness
- headache
- weakness
- dizziness and nausea.
Decompression illness can arise after any diving, even when diving has been carried out within the limits of standard decompression tables.
- Be aware of factors that may contribute to decompression illness. These include:
- depth (generally, the deeper the dive, the greater the risk)
- poor physical condition (obesity, age)
- heavy physical exertion before, during or after a dive
- alcohol or some drugs (taken before or after a dive)
- previous incidences of decompression illness
- multiple ascent diving
- multiple dives over multiple days
- prolonged dive times
- cold conditions
- prolonged hot showers after a dive.
- Seek medical advice if a diver displays symptoms.
- Use appropriate standards to manage the risk of decompression illness for occupational diving.
- The appropriate standard to manage the risk of decompression illness for construction diving work is AS/NZS 2299.1 Occupational Diving Operations - Standard Operational Practice (non-Queensland Government link) - Appendix F
- Appropriate standards for other occupational diving work are:
- AS/NZS 2299.1 - Occupational Diving Operations - Standard Operational Practice - Appendix F (non-Queensland Government link)
- AS/NZS 2299.2 Occupational Diving Operations – Scientific Diving (non-Queensland Government link).
- Appropriate standards for other occupational diving work are:
- any dive tables approved by a scuba training organisation (where the level of risk is similar to that of recreational diving or recreational technical diving).
- any dive computer when used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
Barotrauma
Barotrauma is injury caused by pressure differences between air-containing cavities of the body (the ears, sinuses, lungs and the face mask cavity) and the environment. An example is a perforated ear drum.
As the greatest pressure changes occur near the surface of the water, the diver is most at risk of barotrauma within the first 10m.
- Follow correct diving precautions. For example: equalise the ears during descent and exhale on ascent.
Nitrogen narcosis
Nitrogen narcosis can result from breathing nitrogen under pressure. It acts like a drug and sometimes affects reasoning, judgement, memory, perception, concentration and coordination. It may also lead to over-confidence, anxiety or panic; or survival instincts and responses may be suppressed.
The risk is significantly increased when diving on air at or beyond 30m.
- Be aware of factors that may contribute to nitrogen narcosis. They include:
- fatigue or heavy work
- anxiety or inexperience
- poor visibility
- excessive carbon dioxide
- alcohol or some drugs (including sea sickness medication).
- Be aware of the risk and symptoms of nitrogen narcosis when diving beyond 30m.
- If a diver shows symptoms, immediately ascend to shallower depths taking into account decompression requirements if necessary.
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