What are some common signs of decompression sickness?

Asked by: Owen Kadlecik

Symptoms can include fatigue and pain in muscles and joints. In the more severe type, symptoms may be similar to those of stroke or can include numbness, tingling, arm or leg weakness, unsteadiness, vertigo (spinning), difficulty breathing, and chest pain.

What are the 4 symptoms of decompression sickness?

Symptoms of decompression sickness include:

• Joint pain.
• Dizziness.
• Headache.
• Difficulty thinking clearly.
• Extreme fatigue.
• Tingling or numbness.
• Weakness in arms or legs.
• A skin rash.

What is the major and most common symptom of decompression sickness?

Joint bend
Pain in or near one of the muscles or tendons around the joints is the most common symptom of decompression illness. The shoulder is most often the joint affected followed by elbows, wrists, hand, hips, knees and ankles.

What happens in decompression sickness?

Decompression sickness, also called generalized barotrauma or the bends, refers to injuries caused by a rapid decrease in the pressure that surrounds you, of either air or water. It occurs most commonly in scuba or deep-sea divers, although it also can occur during high-altitude or unpressurized air travel.

What are the three main causes of decompression sickness?

DCS most commonly occurs during or soon after a decompression ascent from underwater diving, but can also result from other causes of depressurisation, such as emerging from a caisson, decompression from saturation, flying in an unpressurised aircraft at high altitude, and extravehicular activity from spacecraft.

What does the Benz feel like?

The pain associated with the bends usually feels like a dull ache, but can be much more severe, like a stabbing sensation. This painful sensation can also occur in other parts of the body, including the ear, the spinal cord, the lungs, the brain or the skin.

What does mild decompression sickness feel like?

There may be a feeling tingling or numbness, increased sensitivity, confusion or memory loss, visual abnormalities, unexplained mood or behavior changes, seizures or unconsciousness. Weakness or paralysis in the legs is possible, as well as incontinence.

What is Type 2 decompression sickness?

Type II decompression sickness (more severe)
Symptoms of spinal cord involvement can include numbness, tingling, weakness, or a combination in the arms, legs, or both. Mild weakness or tingling may progress over hours to irreversible paralysis.

How do you test for decompression sickness?

Acute decompression sickness (DCS) is a purely clinical diagnosis that requires a fair amount of clinical suspicion to avoid missing cases. Most of the time, the “test” is improvement with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy. No specific tests exist for DCS.