Decompression illness (DCI) encompasses two diseases, decompression sickness (DCS) and arterial gas embolism (AGE):
🫧 DCS (“the bends”) results from inadequate decompression. A scuba diver’s body absorbs nitrogen (and/or other inert gases in the breathing mix) in proportion to the ambient pressure. If the inert gas load exceeds tissue capacity, it can come out of solution and form bubbles in the tissues and bloodstream. • Signs/Symptoms: Usually appear within 15 minutes or up to 12 hours after surfacing, and may include joint pain, numbness and tingling, skin rashes/itchiness, headache, and unexplained fatigue; however, the presentation of DCS can be idiosyncratic. • Prevention: Dive conservatively, follow proper ascent procedures, and be mindful of no-decompression limits, especially when diving deep, in cold water, and/or under strenuous conditions. Avoid flying too soon after diving.
🫁 AGE typically results from lung overexpansion, often caused by a scuba diver holding their breath while ascending (as might occur during a panic-induced rapid ascent). The expanding air may rupture lung tissue (pulmonary barotrauma) and release gas bubbles into arterial circulation, which can restrict blood flow and cause damage in the brain and other tissues. • Signs/Symptoms: Typically appear within 15 minutes of surfacing and may include loss of consciousness, confusion, convulsions, bloody froth from the mouth or nose, and weakness or paralysis in the extremities. • Prevention: Breathe normally and avoid breath-holding during ascent.
⚠️ Several factors can increase the likelihood of DCI occurring, including deep or long dives, cold water, heavy exercise at depth, and rapid ascents.
🚑 If you suspect any form of DCI, immediately call local EMS, then call DAN for assistance. The first aid protocol is emergency oxygen administration. A diver with AGE or severe DCS will typically require stabilization at the nearest medical facility before transport to a recompression chamber.
Learn more at dan.org/health-medicine/health-resources/diseases-conditions/decompression-illness-what-is-it-and-what-is-the-treatment/
🔀 Pressure and Volume have a constant inversely proportional relationship.
👎🏻 Underwater, pressure increases as you go deeper because of the weight of the water above you.
At the surface: 1 atmosphere (atm) of pressure (air pressure)
Every 33 feet (10 meters) of water adds about 1 additional atm
So:
0 ft → 1 atm
33 ft → 2 atm
66 ft → 3 atm
👍🏼 Coming Up → Pressure decreases → Gas expands
⚽️ In our experiment:
A ball at 60 ft / 20 m (3 atm)
Brought to the surface (1 atm)
Volume becomes 3 times larger 💥
🫧 Gas volume changes rapidly near the surface, because pressure changes proportionally more in shallow water than in deep water. This is why for scuba divers it is important to surface at a very slow ascent rate, making sure they are not holding their breath as this could cause lung over-expansion injuries.
✍🏼 Comment TELL ME to receive a link to a DAN resource on how to avoid rapid ascents and arterial gas embolism (AGE)!
While DAN's mission to keep divers safe hasn't changed since these photos were taken, first aid training standards have. Is your training up to date?
Divers should renew their first aid training at least every two years. More frequent refreshers can help keep these skills sharp, as research shows that critical lifesaving skills can begin to decline in as little as six months without practice.
In addition to natural skill degradation, another reason for regular practice and recertification is that first aid standards continuously evolve with the advancement of medical practices. To ensure divers are prepared with current best practices, DAN incorporates the latest updates from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) into instructor-led courses, including Diving First Aid, Basic Life Support, and Emergency Oxygen, as well as programs offered by our Powered by DAN partners.
Read more in Alert Diver (link in bio): /alert-diver/article/stay-current-stay-safe/
✍️ Article by Mike Welch
📸 Photos from the DAN archive
Every diver should have access to quality hyperbaric care. Ensuring that access is a vital part of DAN’s mission. That’s why DAN invests in programs and partnerships that support the availability of suitable chamber facilities and the readiness of the teams who operate them.
#ScubaDiving #DiveSafety #DiversAlertNetwork
When you’re ready to explore, help safeguard your travel investment with DAN travel protection.
DAN’s trip and annual travel protection plans include a range of coverage:�
- Missed Connection�
- Baggage �
- Medical and Dental
- And more�
Visit The Link In Bio to help protect your adventure.
DAN has launched Continuing Education for Dive Professionals – Course 3: Barotrauma Legal Drama.
This free course, now available to dive businesses and professionals via DAN E-Learning, follows a fictional ear barotrauma incident from open water training through a legal deposition. Featuring a cinematic storyline and commentary from DAN’s safety and legal experts, Barotrauma Legal Drama aims to help dive pros promote safe practices and make decisions that protect both their divers and their careers.
For more information, visit dan.org/continuing-education-for-dive-professionals.
To encourage participation, DAN is offering discounted premiums on individual professional liability and group professional liability insurance to DAN members who complete the e-learning. (See the webpage for full details and disclaimers.)
Applications are now open for the 2051 Sea Odyssey University Challenge! This Office of Naval Research STEM-supported initiative, developed in collaboration with DAN, UNC-Chapel Hill, DEEP, and the University of Utah, invites undergraduate and graduate student teams to contribute to the future of human undersea exploration by tackling a practical problem faced by professional divers.
The challenge theme is “Underwater Tools and Logistics Planning.” Students will design and/or prototype solutions that enhance the safety and capability of divers working in naval, commercial, scientific, or public safety environments.
The first registration deadline is June 15. For more information, visit dan.org/research-reports/university-challenge. (Link in bio.)
#SeaOdyssey2051 #DiversAlertNetwork #Engineering #STEM
A routine boat dive quickly deteriorated when a diver panicked, made an uncontrolled ascent, and became unresponsive at the surface. A DAN Instructor’s training, the team’s adherence to an Emergency Action Plan (EAP), and the availability of emergency oxygen made the difference between a tragedy and a life saved.
When the unexpected happens, readiness is everything. Read the full “Skills in Action” story in the Q1 2026 Alert Diver: dan.org/dan-instructor-saves-a-life (Link in bio.)
✍️ by Barry Shively
📸 by Stephen Frink
#ScubaDiving #DiveSafety #DiversAlertNetwork #AlertDiver
Andrew Solomon is marine operations manager for the California Science Center Foundation and past president of the Association of Dive Program Administrators (ADPA). On The DANcast, he discusses the unique world of zoo and aquarium dive programs and why a strong safety culture matters in every diving environment.
Watch the full podcast episode on DAN's YouTube channel. (Link in bio.)
#ScubaDiving #DiveSafety #DiversAlertNetwork
Dialing in your buoyancy control pays dividends — from reducing air consumption to preventing uncontrolled depth changes — and makes diving safer.
Unfortunately, buoyancy problems are an underlying factor that can precede many injuries, such as:
👂Ear Barotrauma: Without control of your position in the water column, it’s difficult to stop or adjust your depth to resolve equalization issues.
🪸 Marine Life Injuries: Many stings or scrapes are caused by accidental contact with the bottom. Maintaining a safe distance protects both you and the environment.
🫁 Lung Overexpansion: Buoyancy struggles resulting in an uncontrolled rapid ascent can contribute to lung overexpansion injuries and increase AGE risk.
Work through buoyancy struggles before they escalate. Even when proper buoyancy control feels like second nature, it still deserves attention, especially after changing equipment or exposure protection.
Learn more at dan.org/the-importance-of-buoyancy-control/. (Link in bio)
DAN recently welcomed James Blackman, co-owner of Miami Technical Diving and co-creator of Divers Ready, a multimedia brand dedicated to practical diving education.
James’ 20-plus year career in diving began in the English Channel and spans roles as a public safety diver, shop operator, and independent instructor. He launched the Divers Ready channel to address real-world questions from the global diving community.
Hosted by DAN VP of Research Frauke Tillmans, this episode delves into James' choice to teach in a 1:1 or 1:2 student-to-instructor ratio, his specialties in technical diving, wreck diving, and rebreathers, the role of personal branding in the diving industry, and more.
🎙️ Watch on DAN’s YouTube channel | Link in bio
DAN’s e-learning course, Surface Support: Navigating Trauma After a Dive Incident, helps bridge the gap between rescue skills and the psychological aftermath of a diving emergency. 🧠❤️🩹
Standard dive and first aid training focuses on the physical management of an incident, such as towing an exhausted diver or administering oxygen. Surface Support’s curriculum builds on these essential skills by addressing the mental recovery process that follows a real-life emergency.
By adding psychological first aid to their toolkits, divers can prepare to navigate the emotional impact of an incident — whether they are the injured diver, a rescuer, or a bystander.
To take the course, visit DAN.DiverELearning.com.
#ScubaDiving #DiveSafety #MentalHealthAwareness #DiversAlertNetwork
