Decompression is when a diver descends below the ambient pressure. The diver's body undergoes decompression during the ascent from depth. This can be dangerous, so it is important to do decompression dives correctly. You can read more about decompression diving or decompression syndrome. Read also about decompression-sickness penalties and standard treatments. These are some of the most common questions a decompression diver might have.
Deco dives
Before you start planning your deco dive, make sure to review the basics of your V-planner. This will allow you to see the amount of deco required to reach the desired visibility and depth. A V-planner is useful if you're diving to 35m. If you don't have a V-planner, you will need to manually calculate deco.
Minimum deco refers to a slow ascent at half the average depth. Its name is misleading, as it takes far longer than a minute. You will usually ascend 10ft/3m in 30 secs, then stop and recover for 30 secs before you repeat the process. You may want to make sure that you've decompressed fully before attempting to ascend. The best way to do that is to have sufficient air in the tank.
Planned divers
Divers can use a computer-generated plan to decompression dive. The computer generates deco plans according to divers' choice of decompression models and gases. 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 can use the PC planning software to avoid common mistakes made when planning a dive manually.
A decompression halt is a series stops that are made during ascent. It allows the body to expend nitrogen and helium. A long decompression stop is needed to adjust to the pressure of the environment. The decompression stop length depends on the diver's profile and the depth to which the diver has reached. Planning multiple stops is important if you wish to travel to the depths of the ocean.
Decompression sickness: Standard treatment
Decompression sickness is treated by inhaling 100% oxygen through a mask and maintaining blood pressure. Fluids are administered to prevent oxygen loss. To reverse blood pressure changes, and to turn nitrogen back into liquid form, intensive treatment is done. This can take several hours. If severe decompression sickness occurs, it is best to avoid diving until the symptoms resolve or a suitable alternative treatment has been found.
In acute cases, supplemental oxygen is given to the diver and should be maintained until help arrives. Because symptoms of decompression sickness are not always obvious, it may be difficult for a diver to diagnose. However, decompression sickness should be treated as an emergency and the diver should be kept warm until medical assistance arrives. Any neurological signs or symptoms should be checked out and the condition of the diver should be closely monitored. If symptoms don't appear after a few moments, it could indicate air embolism.
Penalties for decompression diving
Penalties can be imposed for decompression diving. This could lead to consciousness loss and insufficient oxygen supply to the lungs. There are several ways to avoid these problems and reduce your risk of developing decompression sickness. Make sure you are familiar with what you are doing when you dive. Dive without the correct equipment can lead to decompression illness. These are some common mistakes you should avoid when diving.
Avoiding the mistake of underestimating the decompression is the first. In recreational diving, the NDLs and depth limits are largely concerned with fast tissues. Maximum ascent rates should allow for direct ascent to surface. Regardless of the type of tank, decompression diving requires more complex calculations. The Buhlmann ZH-L16 algorithm fixes nitrogen halftimes at 2.65 times longer than helium's, and it adds an increasing time for decompression if the helium fraction is higher than expected.