How do scuba divers prevent decompression sickness?

Answer 1

Divers can lessen their chances of getting decompression sickness by minimizing pre and post-dive activity and exertion, do slow ascents (no faster than 30'/minute), stay well within no-stop time limits, and always do safety stops including deeper safety stops.

Answer 2

the farther divers go below the surface of the ocean, the higher the pressure acting on their body gets.

This increased pressure causes the nitrogen in the blood to compress (gases are compressible). If the diver ascends to quickly, the nitrogen in the blood expands to quickly, and can not be absorbed by the body. This causes all sorts of medical issues, mostly stemming from the oxygen supply to the brain.

The answer is more involved than above. The pressure during the dive from the water pressure does not cause the inert gas (i.e. nitrogen if air is used during the dive) to be compressed since it is not in a free gas state when it is in the blood during the dive. Instead, the pressure from the dive causes the partial pressure of the inert gas to increase. Since an inert gas by definition does not do anything other than "sit there" as compared to oxygen that is metabolized or used, it will continue to accumulate in the tissues since there partial pressure of the nitrogen being breathed underwater is greater than the partial pressure of the nitrogen that is in the tissues. As the diver surfaces, the surrounding water pressure decreases. This results in there being more gas in the tissues (from the dive) as compared to the surrounding atmospheric pressure at the surface. If the dive was "too long" and/or did not adequately decompress, bubbles can result from the gas built up during the dive. Bubbles then cause pain by putting pressure on the nerves in the body and they can also interfere with the central nervous system and even cause paralysis if not treated. It is not really an oxygen supply issue to the brain as stated in the original answer.

Answer 3

When divers are underwater, they breathe air that is at a higher pressure than normal. The deeper you go, the more pressure. This can force nitrogen gas from the air into your bloodstream. When a diver comes back to the surface, pressure is reduced, and the nitrogen comes out of the blood and forms bubbles, typically at body joints. This is very painful and potentially life threatening. Divers "decompress" gradually, allowing nitrogen to be expelled from the blood and from the body safely.

Answer 4

The bends is another name for decompression sickness. They are the same thing.