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Decompression sickness the bends is a painful and potentially fatal malady an environment of high pressure to one of lower pressure.

You may also want to see the answer in the question "What does decompression mean in diving?"

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14y ago
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14y ago

DCS, was discovered in the 19th century by caisson workers - bridge, dam, boat or pier construction or repairs would have an airtight working area created (a caisson) around the foundations/work area to enable workers to work without being underwater. Workers would suddenly return to normal air pressure after leaving the compressed air atmosphere of their working area and suffer extreme pain and would be bent over with the discomfort. Hence it was known as the bends

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11y ago

The less soluble the gas, the less it will contribute to decompression sickness for the given amount that is present in the body. However, different gasses enter and leave the body at different rates, so a less soluble gas like helium (less soluble, but a faster gas) can contribute more for a given period of time underwater.

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Q: Why is decompression sickness also called The Bends?
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Related questions

What is decompression sickness also called?

It is sometimes called the bends


The bends are symptomatic of what?

The bends are also known as decompression sickness.


What are other names for the bends?

Decompression sickness (DCS) is the medical condition also called divers' disease, the bends, or caisson disease.


The bends also known as decompression sickness is as painful condidtion that occurs in scuba divers who asend too quickly.?

If you wanted to know if this is true, then yes, this is the Bends.


What is decompression illness?

It is any illness that is related to a release of pressure from the body such as barotrauma .. baro (pressure) trauma (injury). It includes decompression sickness, but it is not limited to decompression sickness. It is also not limited to diving even though that is what is mostly thought of when discussing decompression illness or DCI.


What is the term for rising or ascending too fast while diving?

It might be called "the benz,"but there are several different kinds......AdditionA very rapid pressure loss is known as explosive decompression. The question is about the ascent itself and not any consequences of ascending too fast. Also, simply ascending fast does not equate to a diver actually getting decompression sickness. The term decompression illness encompasses all diving pressure related injuries including those not related to ascending fast.ADDITIONDecompression sickness/Decompression illness/"Thebends"


What causes decompression for divers?

Decompression is where you de-compress or return to the surface or shallower water. Under pressure, gasses dissolve into the blood. Sometimes decompressing quickly can mean that these gasses cannot come out of your lungs easily and the result on your body is similar to opening a bottle of carbonated drink. These bubbles are very dangerous and can cause decompression sickness. also known as the bends or caisson's disease. This can be avoided by not going very deep or staying down too long and returning to the surface slowly.


What do divers call decompression sickness?

Decompression sickness is the term used to describe the medical condition known as acute embolism caused by a sudden loss of air pressure. This disease is characterized by the appearance of small bubbles and inflammation at subcutaneous, but unequivocal symptom is the appearance of a strong pain, which affects various parts of the body. Certain body regions may suffer temporary paralysis and sometimes permanent injuries occur and even death.This decompression sickness is also known as "the bends" or "evil pressure."AdditionDecompression sickness (DCS) and embolisms are two different things. DCS is caused from the gas a diver absorbs during a dive coming out of solution in a divers tissue and thus bubbling. These bubbles push on nerves in the body causing pain as well as an injury. The two common types of DCS are know as Type I (pain only bends) and Type II (central nervous system bends). It is likely a diver will develop both. Bubbles that are just below the skin (subcutaneous) are not from DCS, but are another type of diving injury. All of these these together are know as Decompression Illness - which takes into account all diving pressure related injuries (also known as barotrauma). But DCS is very specific to excessive gas in the body bubbling and exceeding the bodies capacity to deal with the bubbles.


How does decompression sickness occur?

There is no guarantee that you can prevent decompression sickness since everyone has an individual susceptibility to it. But there are things that can be done to lessen your chances and some are not well taught. One very big thing that can be done is to minimize your exertion both before during and after the dive. So when carrying your gear, do what you can to reduce your "work" and activity. Also, hydration is a big factor, so stay well hydrated. Of course, there are the obvious answers such as dive "conservative" by staying well within recognized time limits. Also, do safety stops. Safety stops can drastically reduce bubble formation and your risk of decompression sickness. I added 2 links that discuss this topic in more detail which include strategies to minimize decompression sickness.


Can you get decompression sickness or the bends from breathing nitrogen?

From scuba diving? ... yes since that is what causes decompression sickness. But if your question is whether you can get DCI from just changing your gas at the surface from air (21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen) to a nitrogen enriched air (i.e. 15% oxygen and 85% nitrogen) without diving or ascending to altitude? ... then the answer would be no. The nitrogen increase is not enough to result in decompression sickness ... but you would would start feeling hypoxic from the lack of oxygen the more you lower the oxygen concentration.


What is hypnoxia also called?

altitude sickness


What is altitude sickness also called?

Hypoxia