Why Recompression?I’ve been asked more than a few times why recompression is a treatment for so many dive ailments.The simple answer is that recompression is sort of a reset button for disorders such as decompression sickness and gas embolism. By recompressing a diver in a controlled environment like a hyperbaric chamber, medical professionals can compress gas bubbles to the point where the body can reabsorb them. Once the body reabsorbs the bubbles, medical professionals can slowly release pressure again to allow the body to expel the gases naturally. Why use a chamber to recompress what's wrong with the ocean?The next question I usually hear is, “why don’t the divers just go back down to the bottom and come up slowly the second time?” I hear the question, cringe a little, and try not to slap them.Re compression on the open ocean is incredibly dangerous. Here’s why: When you’re in a recompression chamber, doctors may compress you to a pressure that’s many times the pressure you experienced at your maximum depth. For example, even though your dive exposed you to three atmospheres of pressure; you may face four or five atmospheres of pressure in the re compression chamber. It takes more pressure to get the bubbles to go back into your bloodstream than it does to create the bubbles in the first place. If you were do just go back underwater, you’d be adding more nitrogen to your system without getting the bubbles to compress to the point where they can be reabsorbed. In short, you’re making the problem much worse. Secondly, when you undergo recompression in a controlled environment, doctors will rarely give you plain old air. You’ll most likely be breathing pure oxygen or a mix very close to it. While this treatment ensures that your body can expel the nitrogen faster, it poses unique problems of its own. Oxygen under pressure.Oxygen can become toxic at certain pressures.To avoid oxygen toxicity medical professionals will monitor your oxygen intake closely and give you “air breaks” when they deem it necessary. When you undergo a controlled re compression, doctors do everything possible to help your body release the gases in your body safely. Oxygen treatment should never be attempted underwater. Pure oxygen will become toxic before you reach 33 feet (10 meters) of seawater. Yet another reason that “field recompression” is almost certain suicide. Avioding recompression.Of course, the best way to avoid a recompression situation is by following safe diving practices.Make sure you plan your dives and set aside an appropriate amount of time for your surface intervals. Make sure that you adhere to your maximum bottom times and that you surface slowly making sure to observe your 3 - 5 minute safety stop at 15 feet (5 meters) of water. While it sounds scary, re compression is an avoidable situation. Through proper planning and conservative diving, you can make sure that you’ll never have to see the inside of a decompression chamber. Make sure that your dive boat operator knows where the closest recompression chamber is and that they have a plan to get you there fast in case of an emergency. For information on diving injuries have a look here. Return to Underwater Diving Equipment Home Page.
|
Dive Computer Reviews
Have a look here for the latest Dive Computer Reviews.