A diver's body experiences decompression when it descends to a pressure lower than the ambient. During ascent from deep, the body of the diver undergoes decompression. If decompression diving is done correctly, this can cause serious injuries. Learn more about decompression and decompression sickness. You can also read about the penalties and treatment for decompression sickness. Below are some of the common questions that a decompression diver may have.
Deco dives
You will need to go through the V-planner's basic program before you plan a deco dive. This will allow you to see the amount of deco required to reach the desired visibility and depth. A V-planner can be used to plan a dive up to 35m. Otherwise, it's best to calculate the deco manually.
The minimum deco is half of the average depth and a slow ascent. Its name is misleading, as it takes far longer than a minute. You will usually ascend 10ft/3m in 30 secs, then stop and recover for 30 secs before you repeat the process. It is important to be fully decompressed before you try to ascend. It is important to ensure that you have enough air in the tank.
Planned diving
Divers can use a computer-generated plan to decompression dive. The computer generates deco plans according to divers' choice of decompression models and gases. The software can be used to plan dives for specific decompression times, OTU loadings and gas requirements for each level. Divers can save themselves from making silly mistakes when planning a dive by using the PC planning tool.
A decompression halt is a series stops that are made during ascent. It allows the body to expend nitrogen and helium. It is necessary to adjust to pressure in the environment. The maximum depth and profile of the diver will determine the length of the stop. Plan multiple decompression stops if you plan to reach the deepest depths.
Standard treatment for decompression illness
The standard treatment for decompression illness is to breathe 100% oxygen through the mask, maintain blood pressure and administer fluids to prevent oxygen from being lost. To reverse blood pressure changes, and to turn nitrogen back into liquid form, intensive treatment is done. This can take several hours. If the decompression sickness is severe, diving should be avoided until the symptoms subside or a suitable alternative treatment has been identified.
Supplemental oxygen should be given to the diver in acute cases. Since symptoms might not be obvious immediately, it can be difficult to diagnose decompression syndrome. However, decompression sickness should be treated as an emergency and the diver should be kept warm until medical assistance arrives. The condition of the diver must be monitored closely. Any neurological signs should be ruled out. If symptoms aren't visible after a few minutes, they could be indicative of air embolism.
Penalties for decompression diving
Decompression diving may result in loss of consciousness and inadequate air supply to the lung. There are many options to prevent these issues and minimize the risk of suffering from decompression. Know what you are doing while diving. Diving without the right equipment can lead to decompression sickness. These are the most common diving mistakes.
Avoiding the mistake of underestimating the decompression is the first. Recreational diving's NDLs or depth limits are more concerned with fast tissues. Maximum ascent rates should allow for direct ascent to surface. Complex calculations are required for decompression diving, regardless of the tank type. Buhlmann ZH-16 algorithms fixes nitrogen at halftimes 2.65 times longer that helium's. If the helium fractions are higher than expected, it will add an increasing time to decompression.