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Why does a diver get decompression sickness if they rise too quickly from a deep sea dive?
If a diver ascends too quickly, the nitrogen gas in his body will expand at such a rate that he is unable to eliminate it efficiently, and the nitrogen will form small bubbles in his tissues. This is known as decompression sickness, and can be very painful, lead to tissue death, and even be life threatening.
Why does pressure have such an impact on humans when scuba diving?
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.
Why don t scuba divers get crushed by all the extra pressure of water above them?
Scuba divers and free divers rely on equalising to prevent damaging their bodies. They compensate for static water pressure by adding equal gas pressure into their air spaces as the atmospheric pressure of the depth they are diving in. This prevents their air spaces from collapsing under pressure.
How does decompression make someone sick?
Decompression sickness is caused by nitrogen bubbles forming in the bloodstream and tissues of the body. The bubbles form if you move from deep water towards the surface –where the pressure is lower – too quickly.
How do deep sea divers cope with pressure?
Most divers are taught to equalize by pinching their nose and blowing gently. This gentle pressure opens the eustachian tube and flows air gently to the middle ear. You may do it already – at the surface, exhale fully as much as you can, squeezing out as much as you can, then pinch your nose and gently pop your ears.
What are the effects of pressure on deep divers?
Increased pressure underwater also affects how we breathe. At depth, pressure compresses the lungs. Divers take in more air as they descend, and their bodies absorb more nitrogen the deeper they go. One possible consequence is called nitrogen narcosis.
How do you decompress when diving?
Decompression diving involves on-gassing more nitrogen, which means a diver must make a series of stops during his ascent. Each stop allows time for gas to move out of the tissues and back to the lungs. The diver then continues to move closer to the surface between each decompression stop.