Actions a Scuba Diver Can Do to Reduce the Risk and Prevent Bends

Aug 13, 2010
Bruce Iliff

Scuba Diver Can Take Action to Prevent the Bends - Bruce ILIFF

The bends is a risk a scuba diver faces when diving in decompression times and depths. There are actions a scuba diver can take to reduce the risk.

The bends occurs in a scuba diver when nitrogen absorbed into the tissues in the body during the dive bubbles out into the blood stream during the ascent.

Increasing the rate of circulation and reducing the speed in which nitrogen bubbles out of the body's tissues are what a diver needs to avoid.

Also, speeding blood flow through the body means the blood can carry more bubbles faster around the body and give them more chance to join together.

The following are some specific things that a scuba diver should look out for to reduce the risk of getting the bends while scuba diving.

Don’t Have Hot Showers Immediately After a Decompression Scuba Dive

A hot shower following a scuba dive is usually welcome and makes the diver feel good, but after a dive in decompression depths and times, a hot shower can be detrimental. The hot water opens the capillaries in the outer skin allowing more blood to flow.

Overheating can also cause the nitrogen in the tissues to be released faster.

Avoid Alcohol After a Decompression Scuba Dive

A celebratory alcoholic drink is another one of those things that is great to do after a dive; especially a stressful decompression dive. However, alcohol should be avoided for a number of hours after the ascent.

Alcohol has the impact of enlarging the blood capillaries thereby increasing circulation. Alcohol after a dive will also increase the rate at which the nitrogen bubbles out of the tissues.

Alcohol in the body will also increase blood circulation which must be avoided as much as possible to prevent getting the bends.

Alcohol before a dive should also be avoided. In general diving, alcohol and scuba diving doesn’t mix. But for scuba dives into decompression times, the risks of diving with alcohol in the system are magnified. A scuba diver’s mental faculties could be impaired, possibly leading to miscalculation of times and depths – important considerations in avoiding the bends.

Physical Activity After and During a Decompression Scuba Dive

Physical activity can increase the blood flow through the circulatory system, which in turn increases the likelihood of getting nitrogen bubbles caught in the blood vessels. The scuba dive plan should be structured to reduce the activity underwater. That is, a scuba dive in decompression depths and times should be a slow, leisurely dive, rather than a frantic dash underwater.

Also, the dive plan should ensure there is not a long swim to the beach, dive boat or shore dive exit point after the ascent.

Then once back on dry land, or the scuba dive boat, following a decompression dive, a scuba diver should sit quietly for the next few hours. A scuba diver should not immediately take on unnecessary strenuous activities such as swimming, snorkelling or running/walking.

Of course this needs to be tempered with activities that may be underway such as packing up dive gear or a divemaster preparing other divers.

Flying After Diving Can Increase the Risk of Getting the Bends

Flying after scuba diving can greatly increase the risk of getting the bends. This is due to the decreased pressure when at altitude in a plane allowing more nitrogen to bubble out of the tissues.

Even pressurised planes, such as domestic jets, must be avoided as they are pressurised at a lower pressure than ground level.

Cold Water Can Increase the Risk of Getting the Bends

Cold water can impair circulation, thereby slowing gas elimination. The cold causes constriction of blood vessels to the skin which can cause bubbles to be trapped.

Therefore a scuba diver undertaking a dive in decompression times and depths should put on as much insulation (wetsuit or drysuit) as possible. Not only to be comfortable on the dive, but also to assist in reducing susceptibility to the bends.

With all the above, to reduce the risk of getting the bends, a scuba diver should focus on slowing blood circulation both during and after a scuba dive within decompression depths and times.

The bends can be treated by a controlled process of re-compression followed by decompression. As a last resort, the bends can even be treated by taking the scuba diver with the bends back underwater. However, preventing the bends is the best approach.