Decompression is when a diver descends below the ambient pressure. During the ascent from depth, the diver's body experiences decompression. This process can be dangerous but should be avoided if decompression diving done properly. Decompression diving and decompression illness are discussed in more detail. You can also read about the penalties and treatment for decompression sickness. Below are some questions that decompression divers might ask.
Deco dives
To plan a deco diving trip, it is important to first go through the basic program on your V-planner. That way, you can see how much deco is required to achieve the correct 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.
Minimum deco refers to a slow ascent at half the average depth. The name of the minimum deco is misleading as it takes much longer than one minute. Typically, you can ascend 10ft/3m within 30 seconds. You'll stop for 30 seconds to recover, and then continue the climb. You may want to make sure that you've decompressed fully before attempting to ascend. You can do this by making sure that there is enough air in your tank.
Planned divers
A computer-generated plan that allows for decompression diving is a great tool for divers. The computer generates deco lists according to the diver's choice of gases, decompression methods, and conservatism settings. Divers can use this software to plan dives that have a certain decompression time and OTU loadings. Divers can use the PC planning software to avoid common mistakes made when planning a dive manually.
A decompression stop is a series of stops during an ascent in order to allow the body to expel nitrogen and helium. It is necessary to adjust to pressure in the environment. The depth attained and the profile of a diver determine the duration of decompression stops. You should plan multiple stops to ensure you can reach the deepest depths.
Decompression sickness: Standard treatment
Decompression sickness is treated by inhaling 100% oxygen through a mask and maintaining blood pressure. Fluids are administered to prevent oxygen loss. A hyperbaric oxygen chamber is used to reverse blood pressure changes and turn nitrogen into liquid. The body can then clear the matter in a matter of hours. Avoid diving if you feel decompression sickness.
Supplemental oxygen should be given to the diver in acute cases. It is possible to diagnose decompression illness, but symptoms may not be apparent immediately. However, emergency care should be given to the diver and they should be kept warm until help arrives. The diver's condition should be carefully monitored and any neurological signs must be ruled out. These symptoms could indicate an air embolism if they are not visible within a few minutes.
Penalties for decompression diving
Penalties can be imposed for decompression diving. This could lead to consciousness loss and insufficient oxygen supply to the lungs. These consequences can be avoided and decompression illnesses reduced by using a variety of methods. While diving, make sure you know what you're doing. Dive without the correct equipment can lead to decompression illness. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when diving.
The first mistake to avoid is to underestimate the decompression time. Recreational diving is dominated by fast tissues. Maximum ascent rates were designed to permit direct ascent towards the surface. Complex calculations are required for decompression diving, regardless of the tank type. The Buhlmann ZH-L16 algorithm fixes nitrogen halftimes at 2.65 times longer than helium's, and it adds an increasing time for decompression if the helium fraction is higher than expected.