From the Medical Line Archives

Inert Gas Washout

August 1, 2017

DAN medics and researchers answer your questions about dive medicine.

PFO Concerns in Dive Injury Treatment

February 12, 2022

If the diver is symptomatic and you are rendering care, then you need to treat the symptoms. Give them the highest concentration of oxygen available, and get them to definitive health care and treatment. Remember that many conditions show symptoms that may mimic DCS. Just because someone was diving does not mean they have a dive-related illness. When creating your emergency action plan, note the location of the nearest emergency room or where and how to access local emergency services.

Laryngospasm and Anxiety

March 21, 2022

Q: During dive training in the pool, I couldn’t breathe after clearing my mask with my regulator in my mouth. After surfacing, I took six to eight wheezing breaths and then […]

Autism and Diving

November 15, 2022

My son is on the autism spectrum and wants to learn how to scuba dive. Will his autism be a problem? Every autistic person is unique and must be evaluated […]

Joint Pain and Diving

March 29, 2023

Your effort to relieve joint pain involves achieving neutral buoyancy, but that requires some physical exertion.  Additionally, nr-axSpa often progresses into ankylosing spondylitis with inflammation where tendons, ligaments, or joint capsules enter the bone, which can lead to spinal fusion and reduced mobility.