By: Rick Neumeister

I was diving once again out of God’s Pocket in northern British Columbia, when I lost one of my two dive computers.  I thought there was very little chance of seeing it again.  Luckily a diver from the Nautilus Swell found it and was persistent in her efforts to contact me.  Little did the computer know I was safe and sound on the dive boat! When it was recovered, it had been in the water over 60 hours. As the person who found it wrote, “...SO in deco.”  I’m surprised it didn’t say GAME OVER!

She had contacted Scubapro with the serial number and was told they couldn’t release the name and address of the registered owner directly.  She thought they would try to contact me, but after more than a month, she found the email address of a Scubapro rep, who then made direct contact with us.

I so appreciate the extra effort she took to find me.  I am definitely one of her fans! ■

Every diver should be prepared to recognize symptoms decompression illness (DCI). Are you?

The term DCI actually encompasses two separate conditions: decompression sickness (DCS) and arterial gas embolism (AGE). Both conditions should get the same treatment, which in most cases is oxygen first aid and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. You probably learned most of this in your entry level diving courses, but it never hurts to review this essential information as it could save a life.

Symptoms of DCI

• DCS symptoms include muscle or joint pain that does not subside, rash, dizziness, numbness or tingling, paralysis, muscle weakness, bladder or bowel dysfunction and fatigue disproportionate to the diver’s exertion. The diver may also have trouble walking.

• AGE symptoms typically occur while the diver is surfacing or immediately afterward. The diver may suddenly go unconscious or exhibit neurological symptoms, such as confusion, disorientation, personality changes, unsteady gait, weakness and paralysis. AGE may be associated with pulmonary barotrauma (a condition that occurs when air sacs in the lung rupture, typically during a rapid or breath-hold ascent) which generally manifests as difficulty breathing and may also involve a bloody froth in the mouth or nose.

Symptoms generally occur from within 10 minutes to up to 12 hours after surfacing. If any new symptoms appear after 24 hours, DCI is not likely to be the cause. If the diver flies after diving, it is possible for delayed symptoms of DCS to occur during flight. The recommended preflight surface interval after multiple dives or multiple days of diving is a minimum of 18 hours.

Responding to suspected DCI

If you suspect a diver has DCI, assess and continuously monitor vital signs (circulation, airway and breathing), activate emergency services (911 or the local equivalent), administer oxygen first aid if you are a trained oxygen provider and call the DAN Emergency Hotline at +1-919-684-9111.

Remember, if you need some help or are unsure how to respond you can always call DAN or take the diver to the nearest emergency department. It is not advisable to take an injured diver directly to a chamber without first contacting DAN because the closest chamber may not be open, operating, staffed or properly equipped to meet the injured diver’s needs. DAN maintains a continually updated database of chambers to determine the most appropriate chamber for treatment and the coordination of care.

While DAN cannot make a diagnosis over the phone, DAN can be an essential resource for helping recognize the signs and symptoms of DCI, advising you and emergency medical personnel on proper management and coordinating transportation to get an injured diver to a higher level of emergency care as quickly and safely as possible.

Be prepared

There are a lot of ways you can prepare to handle a diving emergency. If you are not a trained oxygen provider, enroll in the DAN Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries course. You can also complete the DAN Dive Emergency Management Provider (DEMP) program, which encompasses automated external defibrillators, emergency oxygen including bag valve mask and manually triggered ventilator, and the treatment of hazardous marine life injuries. Or enhance your knowledge with DAN online seminars, such as the Pathophysiology of Decompression Illness and test yourself with the DCI Quiz on www.AlertDiver.com. Dive safely, and remember, DAN is here for you.

Divers Alert Network (DAN) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the safety and health of scuba divers. DAN operates a 24-hour emergency hotline (+1-919-684-9111) to help divers in need of medical emergency assistance for diving or nondiving incidents.

If you’re looking to shed some pounds from your weight belt, slip into that slimmer wetsuit and take a giant stride into more challenging dive environments, it’s time to commit to some changes. Make 2012 the year to improve your dive fitness.

• A year in review. Before establishing a fitness plan, take an assessment of your current physical status. Talk to your doctor to develop fitness goals for the year and for nutritional guidelines to help you reach those goals. Consider your capabilities and make reasonable targets based on that information. You may want to get a dive physical to ensure you are fit to dive. If you’d like to see a dive physician in your area or if your physician would like a consultation, call the DAN Medical Information Line at +1-919-684-2948.

• Plan your fitness. Make a workout plan; be sure to incorporate cardio, strength training and flexibility exercises. Schedule time for your workouts in writing, then stick to them. After you’ve established reasonable goals, write in benchmarks you hope to achieve, and track your progress. This doesn’t apply just to pounds. Set goals to extend the miles you can run or reduce the amount of time in which you can do it. Always wanted to do a triathlon? Train for it! Recognize that setbacks will happen; don’t let them throw off your whole fitness routine. You can and will reach your goals if you stay dedicated. As you meet your goals, take time to celebrate the success of your hard work; it will help propel you towards your next benchmark.

• Buddy up. The buddy system isn’t just for diving. Knowing that a buddy expects you to meet them at the gym or to go just one more block can help you reach your goals. Support each other as you strive for better fitness.

• Take it to heart. One of the leading causes of dive-related fatalities is cardiac incident, particularly in divers over the age of 40. You can improve your cardiovascular health by incorporating regular aerobic exercise into your physical fitness routine. Take a brisk walk or swim approximately 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Or if you want a greater challenge, run or bike at least three days a week for at least 20 minutes. Vary your routine to challenge yourself.

• Eat healthy. Stock your fridge with foods low in sodium, saturated fats or cholesterol, and avoid trans fats. When picking proteins, choose nuts, lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Stock up on fresh fruits, vegetables and whole-grains. Be conscious of your portion sizes and eat a variety of foods. Wise nutritional choices help promote overall health and physical fitness.

• Enhance your education. If you plan to take on new diving environments this year, in addition to ensuring you meet the physical demands they present, make sure you have the proper training to dive in that environment. Enroll in a training course and continue your diving education to enhance your skills as diver.

DAN Can Help

Learn more about how you can improve your fitness. Read the “Dive Fitness” column available at www.AlertDiver.com. There you can learn about routines to enhance your dive fitness as well as how to make wise nutritional choices. You can also enroll in courses to learn more about dive fitness and dive-specific first aid at www.DAN.org. Enhance your diving experience this year with a commitment to fitness.

It’s known by many names: “rapture of the deep,” “martinied” or “narked.” But they all refer to the same phenomenon, inert gas narcosis. For recreational divers, it is most commonly encountered as nitrogen narcosis.

The phenomenon of nitrogen narcosis was observed as far back as the 1830s. Over the years, much research and many experiments have been done to better determine the exact mechanisms of nitrogen narcosis and explain its effects.

Diving Deeper Into the Narcotic Effect

Scientists believe the narcotic effect is caused by the slowing of neurochemical transmitters as they move from one nerve ending to the next. Signs and symptoms can range from slight euphoric feelings to a profoundly altered mental status and an inability to make sound decisions.

Bizarre behaviors have been observed in affected divers including attempting gear removal at depth or suddenly descending below a planned limit. In one reported case, an aquarium collector recounted being surprised by the specimens he collected and had trouble remembering the deepest portions of his dive.

Nitrogen narcosis in itself is not harmful to the body, but the behavioral changes that accompany it could have consequences. Divers experiencing nitrogen narcosis may feel a false sense of security and not recognize alterations they make to the dive plan or appreciate the degree to which their altered mental capacity may lead to potential danger. The most intense effects of nitrogen narcosis are often observed upon or soon after arrival at depth.

The depth at which narcosis is felt can vary from person to person and from one dive to the next. For most people, a depth of approximately 100 feet is where symptoms generally begin. Research has shown that over time some individuals are able to adapt and function with mild manifestations of nitrogen narcosis; however, the deeper you go, the more pronounced the effects tend to be. Fortunately, the “treatment” is easy and requires only an ascent to shallower depths.

Reducing Risks of Rapture

All divers should be aware of their personal tolerances to inert gases when diving deep (below 60 feet). Divers should also maintain awareness of both their own behavior and their dive partner’s. Finally, minimize task loading when doing deeper dives; the more complex and numerous the tasks, the greater the effects of impairment may be.

If you have any questions about nitrogen narcosis, call the DAN Medical Information Line at +1-919-684-2948. For more information, visit www.DAN.org. ■