Diving

DCI - DCS - AGE: DAN Definitions (Alert Diver, March/April 2005)

Decompression Illness: The broad term that encompasses both decompression sickness and areterial gas embolism, DCI is commonly used to describe any disease caused by changes in ambient pressure. It is sused because the symptoms of DCS and AGE can be similar.

Decompression Sickness: DCS is a disease caused when the total gas tension dissolved in a diver's dissue exceeds the ambient hydrostatic pressure and gas bubble formation occurs. THe symptoms may include itching, rash, joint pain, muscle aches or sensory changes such as numbness and tingling. More serious symptoms include muscle weakness, paralysis or disorders of higher cerebral function, including memory and personality changes. DCS can be fatal, although it's very rarely in modern types

Type I DCS (Musculoskeletal DCS): This is decompression sickness in which the symptoms are felt to be non-neurological in origin such as itching, rash, joint or muscle pain.

Type II DCS (Neurological DCS): This involves decompression sickness where there is any symptom referable to the nervous of cardiovascular system.

Arterial Gas Embolism: AGE occurs when there is air in the arterial circulation. In divers this may be caused by a sudden reduction in ambient pressure, such as a rapid ascent without exhalation that causes over-pressurization of the lung and pulmonary barotrauma. The most common target organ is the brain, and the usual signs and symptoms include the onset rapid (less than 15 minutes) of strokelike symptoms after reaching the surface.

Prevent Ear Infections:

Ear drops can be made of 50% white vinegar and 50% isopropyl alcohol

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Index of DAN's great medical articles

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Richard Pyle's first bad decompression hit.

Pyle'ssecond bad decompression hit.

An while we're at it, here's Pyle's Rebreather Guide