As with all the most exciting sports, there are certain types of accidents that can happen in scuba diving. While we enjoy our time underwater, it’s not a natural place for us to be; for this reason, the most common scuba accidents can be at least partially attributed to exposure to water pressure and other factors that are unique to the environment we dive in. Knowing about common scuba accident types can help increase your awareness so you can easily recognize potential problems before they get out of hand. Let’s take a closer look!
Scrapes and Other Physical Wounds
Scratches, scrapes, and other physical wounds including bumps and bruises happen quite often, and luckily, they are normally quite minor. Contact with coral, barnacles, and even rough rocks can cause cuts and scratches; jagged metal on a wreck can cause deeper cuts that might need stitches. You can suffer bumps and bruises when trying to climb back onto a dive boat in rough weather. The best way to avoid these injuries is to maintain a constant state of awareness concerning your environment and to ensure you wear proper protective gear.
Drowning
Drowning is the number one danger associated with all water sports. Though we divers have an advantage because we carry an air supply with us, the danger of drowning is still a very real one. There are many reasons a diver may drown:
- Gear may fail
- An underwater accident can render a diver unconscious
- Currents and other environmental factors can contribute to panic and subsequent drowning
Some of the best methods for preventing drowning include maintaining and monitoring scuba gear, paying close attention to all environmental factors, and maintaining good communication with your dive buddy.
Squeezes
A squeeze happens when the air pressure inside your body’s air-filled spaces is less than that of the water surrounding you. This condition can cause severe discomfort and pain. One of them most common squeeze injuries is mask squeeze; this happens when you forget to let a little air into your mask as you equalize, and it leads to the mask becoming painfully tight on the face. Other forms of squeeze are ear squeeze and sinus squeeze; they also happen when you fail to equalize properly. If you notice symptoms, ascend a few feet and equalize. Equalizing early and often can prevent you from ever suffering squeeze under normal diving circumstances.
Barotrauma
Barotrauma is a serious injury that can occur because of pressure differences between your body’s air-filled cavities and the water surrounding you. If you are having trouble equalizing and the air trapped in your middle ear cannot escape, the resulting ruptured eardrum would be considered to be a form of barotrauma. Not only can the ears be affected, so can the eyes, the lungs, the paranasal sinuses, the skin, the brain, the teeth, and other body parts. Equalizing early and often, expelling breath gradually on ascent, and ensuring that you take adequate safety stops are some ways to prevent barotrauma.
Arterial Gas Embolism (AGE)
Arterial gas embolism is a form of barotrauma that can be lethal; unfortunately, it is one of the leading causes of death among divers. AGE is usually caused when respiratory gases expand during ascent, particularly when the breath is held on ascent. As those respiratory gases expand, tiny lung structures called alveoli expand and rupture, leaking gas into the bloodstream. The bubbles in the bloodstream then make their way throughout the body, causing damage to the heart, the brain, and other vital structures. Symptoms include chest pain, bloody froth coming from the diver’s mouth or nose, weakness or paralysis, disorientation, blurred vision, convulsions, and marbling of the skin. The best way to prevent arterial gas embolism is to ensure that you never hold your breath while diving, particularly while ascending.
Decompression Sickness (DCS)
Decompression sickness is also a serious scuba-related injury. It happens when divers fail to follow prescribed dive profiles, and it can also happen after a rapid ascent. During a dive, nitrogen bubbles form inside your body, including in your bloodstream. If the bubbles remain, pain and tissue damage can occur. The best way to prevent DCS is to ascend properly, take safety stops, and observe appropriate surface intervals.
Nitrogen Narcosis
While many dive-related injuries occur during ascent, the opposite is true of nitrogen narcosis. As nitrogen builds up in the bloodstream, it can lead to toxicity, which in turn can lead to feelings of drunkenness, euphoria, or panic. While a very mild case of nitrogen narcosis isn’t typically serious, a more severe case can lead to a chain of events that can ultimately end in the diver’s death. If you notice symptoms of nitrogen narcosis, ascending even a small amount can help to alleviate the problem.
Oxygen Toxicity
Also known as hyperoxia, oxygen toxicity happens when a diver breathes excessive molecular oxygen at elevated partial pressure. This is a type of central nervous system poisoning that can be lethal, as it can cause massive damage at a cellular level. Fortunately, this problem does not affect divers breathing typical breathing gases.
Marine Life Encounters
The animals living in the environments we dive in can be dangerous in different ways. Some sting, some bite, and some can kill us. The best way to prevent accidents involving marine life is to be aware of what kinds of creatures you will be encountering during your dives, and to know about the dangers associated with these animals. You should also give these animals plenty of space, respect their environment, and never touch anything while diving. By respecting marine life and the marine environment, you can greatly reduce your risk of an accidental injury.
Last, but certainly not least, be sure that you dive within the confines of your training and experience, and ensure that you feel comfortable and competent with the equipment you take underwater with you. Take advantage of training opportunities, and be sure that you communicate well with your dive buddy. While diving is a dangerous sport, you can make it safer – and more enjoyable – by taking just a few simple precautions.