When a diver descends to lower pressure than the ambient, it is called decompression. The diver's body undergoes decompression during the ascent from depth. This process can be hazardous and is usually avoided when decompression diving is done properly. Read more about decompression dive and decompression sick. Read also about decompression-sickness penalties and standard treatments. Below are some questions that decompression divers might ask.
Deco dives
Before you start planning your deco dive, make sure to review the basics of your V-planner. This will allow you to see the amount of deco required to reach the desired visibility and depth. To ensure you are familiar with the settings, if you plan to dive to 35m you can use a Vplanner. Otherwise, you'll need to calculate deco manually, if possible.
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. The average time it takes to ascend 10ft/3m is 30 seconds. After that, you stop for 30 seconds and then recover 30 seconds before starting again. You may want to make sure that you've decompressed fully before attempting to ascend. To do this, ensure you have enough oxygen in your tank.
Planned dives
A computer-generated plan for decompression diving can be a valuable tool for divers. The computer generates deco schedules according to a diver's chosen number of gases, decompression models, and conservatism settings. Divers can create dive plans using this software. They can choose a decompression period, OTU and CNS loadings, and the gas requirements for each depth. Divers can save themselves from making silly mistakes when planning a dive by using the PC planning tool.
A decompression stop, which is a series or stops made during ascent, allows the body to expel nitrogen/helium. To adjust to the environment's pressure, a long decompression stop will be necessary. The decompression stop length depends on the diver's profile and the depth to which the diver has reached. 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. The intensive treatment involves using a hyperbaric oxygen chamber in order to reverse changes in blood pressure. This will turn nitrogen back into liquid, which can be cleared over several hours. Divers should not dive if they are suffering from severe decompression sickness.
In acute cases, supplemental oxygen is given to the diver and should be maintained until help arrives. Because symptoms of decompression sickness are not always obvious, it may be difficult for a diver to diagnose. However, it is important that the diver receives emergency treatment and be kept warm until assistance arrives. The diver's condition should be carefully monitored and any neurological signs must be ruled out. They could be signs of an air embolism, if symptoms do not appear within a few seconds.
Penalties for decompression diving
Penalties for decompression diving can result in the loss of consciousness and insufficient air supply to the lungs. These consequences can be avoided and decompression illnesses reduced by using a variety of methods. Know what you are doing while diving. Diving without the right equipment can lead to decompression sickness. Avoid these common mistakes when diving.
It is important not to underestimate the time it takes to decompress. The NDLs and depth limits in recreational diving are mostly concerned with fast tissues. Maximum ascent rates allow direct ascent to the surface. Regardless of the type of tank, decompression diving requires more complex calculations. The Buhlmann ZH-16 algorithm fixes nitrogen for 2.65 times longer as helium. Additionally, it increases the time required to decompress helium if it is higher than expected.