Scuba diving has become an increasingly popular recreation sport. Yet be warned you do need to check with your doctor before going for it. Scuba stands for (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) diving needs proper education, training, certification and medical clearance.
What you must know?
Decompression Sickness: As divers descend, a greater amount of nitrogen and oxygen is dissolved in the blood and body tissues. On ascent, the nitrogen leaves the tissues and body. If ascent is too rapid, the nitrogen will be released too quickly from the tissues and form bubbles in the bloodstream that can block blood flow to vital areas and cause pain in the limbs and abdomen. So come up slow breathing normally.
Nitrogen Narcosis: also called “rapture of the depths’ is a feeling similar to alcohol intoxication. It is caused by breathing compressed air at depths of approximately 30 meters (100 feet) . Treatment is to ascend to a shallower depth.
Squeezes: The most common medical problems are simple “squeezes.” These can affect your middle ear or face mask during descent. Squeezes cause pain in your ears. The pain is caused by the difference in pressure between the air spaces of your ears and mask, and higher water pressure as you go deeper in the water. Squeezes that affect the inner ear or sinuses are less common.
So in which case does one have to take care before Scuba Diving?
Pregnancy
Acute infections of the ears or respiratory tract
Certain pulmonary, cardiac and gastrointestinal conditions
Seizure disorders
Sickle cell disease
Diabetes (hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) episode underwater can be dangerous) and asthma(mild is OK exercise stress test followed by pulmonary function tests should be taken by the individual) If you have hypertension or blood pressure check with your doctor (Some anti-hypertension medications, such as beta-blockers, can pose increased risks)
What can we Do?
Know the qualities of fish and other marine animals, and the species of coral of the region where you are going to dive.
To avoid ankle pain practice with fins in a pool.
Stay within the no-decompression limits
Don’t take a dive you are not comfortable with.
Dive as per your experience and training.
And of course don’t panic.
So if you love scuba diving, then make sure you are fit and always dive with a partner so that you can keep a check on each other.
Via: nj
