| Front | What is decompression sickness (aka the bends)? |
|---|---|
| Back | This occurs when bubbles of gas, especially nitrogen, obstruct the blood vessels. It results from too rapid an ascent from a dive, too long of a dive at too deep a depth, or repeated dives on the same day without the proper time intervals. During the dive, nitrogen that is being breathed dissolves in the blood and tissues because it is under pressure. When the diver ascends, the external pressure is decreased, and the dissolved nitrogen forms small bubbles within those tissues. |
Tags: 30, emergencies, environmental
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