Decompression is when a diver descends below the ambient pressure. During ascent, the body of a diver is subject to decompression. This process can be hazardous and is usually avoided when decompression diving is done properly. Decompression diving and decompression illness are discussed in more detail. Learn more about decompression illness penalties and standard treatment. Below are some of the common questions that a decompression diver may have.
Deco dives
Before you start planning your deco dive, make sure to review the basics of your V-planner. By doing this, you will be able to determine how much deco is needed to achieve the proper visibility and depth. You can use a V planner if you want to do a dive below 35m. Otherwise, deco will have to be calculated manually if you are able.
A minimum deco is a slow ascent from 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. The best way is to make sure you have enough gas in the tank.
Planned dives
Divers can use a computer-generated plan to decompression dive. The computer generates deco schedules according to a diver's chosen number of gases, decompression models, and conservatism settings. This software allows divers to plan dives according to a specific decompression time, OTU and CNS loadings, as well as gas requirements at each depth. Divers will be able to avoid the common mathematical errors that can occur when planning a diving trip manually by using the PC planner tool.
A decompression stop is a series of stops during an ascent in order to allow the body to expel nitrogen and helium. A long decompression stop is needed to adjust to the pressure of the environment. The depth attained and the profile of a diver determine the duration of decompression stops. Plan multiple decompression stops if you plan to reach the deepest depths.
Standard treatment of decompression sickness
A standard treatment for decompression sickness involves breathing 100% oxygen through a mask, maintaining blood pressure, and administering fluids to prevent the loss of oxygen. Intensive treatment consists of using a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to reverse the changes in blood pressure and drive nitrogen back into liquid form, which the body can clear over hours. If decompression sickness is severe, you should avoid diving until the symptoms subside.
Acute cases require that the diver receive supplemental oxygen. This should be continued until help arrives. Decompression sickness may be difficult to diagnose, since symptoms may not be immediately apparent. However, it is important that the diver receives emergency treatment and be kept warm until assistance arrives. You should monitor your diver's condition closely and rule out any neurological signs. Air embolism is possible if symptoms persist beyond a few minutes.
Penalties for decompression diving
Decompression diving may result in loss of consciousness and inadequate air supply to the lung. Fortunately, there are many methods to avoid these consequences and to reduce the risk of decompression illness. Know what you are doing while diving. Diving without the right equipment can lead to decompression sickness. Avoid these common mistakes when diving.
It is important not to underestimate the time it takes to decompress. Recreational diving is dominated by fast tissues. Maximum ascent rates should allow for direct ascent to surface. No matter what tank you have, decompression diving requires complex calculations. Buhlmann ZH-16 algorithms fixes nitrogen at halftimes 2.65 times longer that helium's. If the helium fractions are higher than expected, it will add an increasing time to decompression.