What is decompression sickness and what is the cause?

Expert Solution

Decompression sickness is distressful physical condition in which nitrogen dissolved in the blood and tissues by high pressure usually forms bubbles as pressure decreases. Decompression sickness is also known as generalized barotrauma or the bends which refers to such injuries that usually caused by a rapid decrease in the pressure that surrounds us, of either air or water. It majorly occurs with scuba or deep-sea divers. Additionally, it also can occur during high-altitude or unpressurized air travel.

Cause
Decompression sickness is caused by bubbles formation in blood tissue or any tissue during or after a reduction in environmental pressure (that is decompression). Generally, decompression sickness has major pathophysiological syndromes like arterial gas embolism which is the most common term of decompression sickness. Arterial gas embolism occurs mainly during hyperbaric exposure (eg, diving) and rarely during hypobaric exposure (eg, altitude) As for example, when we scuba dive with compressed air, we take in extra oxygen and nitrogen. Our body uses the oxygen, but the nitrogen is dissolved into our blood, where it still remains during our dive. As we swim back toward the surface after a deep dive, the water pressure around us also decreases. Now, if this transition occurs very fast and hold for a certain extent, the nitrogen does not have time to clear from our blood. Instead, it separates out of our blood and forms bubbles in our tissues or blood. It is these nitrogen bubbles that cause decompression sickness.

gladiator answered 2 years ago

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