ETSUALHE 4060-904BarotraumaIt’s Not Just the Sharks that Kill Divers

Scuba diving is a popular outdoor sport enjoyed by people worldwide. However, it is one of the few sports not medically regulated. Barotrauma is a major diving concern that can be prevented but is not easily recognized. Therefore, the popular diving command “Dive! Dive! Dive!” could easily become “Die! Die! Die!”

When a diver ascends from a dive, air expands in the lungs. Boyle’s Law states that “when pressure decreases, volume increases”. ( NAUI 2000-2004) If the diver does not exhale properly and comes up too quickly from a dive, problems will arise. Either the trapped gas will travel into the human bloodstream or into body organs and spaces such as the lungs, ears, teeth, sinuses, stomach and bowels.