A 2003 study, led by Heather Frederick, showed that even a gradual decline in lung function due to advanced age cannot be bad enough for elderly divers to take the plunge into the waters.

In the study, the researchers used hyperbaric (high-pressured) chambers to simulate the effects of diving at a depth of 60 feet underwater as tools to measure lung performance of elder divers as against young divers. The responses of a group of 10 healthy people, ranging in age from 19 to 39, was compared to another group of healthy older adults aged 58 to 74. None of the divers had a history of lung or heart disease.

Sun.Star Cebu – Scuba diving, safe for seniors

During Hogan’s second dive of the day, his doctors believe, too much pressure built up in his lungs, causing gas bubbles in his arteries. Called an arterial gas embolism, the condition damaged his spinal cord and led to paralysis.

Many have died as a result of the diving condition, but some have lessened the damage after undergoing intensive hospital treatments where they breathed 100 percent oxygen.

Hogan believes he also could have reduced the harm to his system had he reached a hospital sooner. He is now paralyzed from the waist down.

Disabled on scuba dive, man sues Coast Guard

New Zealand is going to be putting a focus on diver health in order to discover ways to keep divers safer.

KOH RACHA YAI: Japanese tourist Akira Egoshi, 24, died while diving in Siam Bay, off Koh Racha Yai, on Wednesday.

Pol Maj Chana Sutthimas, an Inspector with the Chalong Police, told the Gazette that a tour party of 11 Japanese tourists led by four dive masters from Kata Diving Co Ltd left Chalong Pier aboard the dive boat Laddawan 5 at 8:20 am, bound for Koh Racha Yai.

“The crew of Laddawan 5 called in at about 4 pm to report that a diver was missing,” he said. “At that time, their divers were still looking for him.”

Maj Chana said that it seemed Mr Egoshi had swam away from the rest of the divers and had become snagged on a rock. Unable to free himself, he had run out of oxygen.

Marine Police responded to the Laddawan 5 crew’s call for help and launched a search for Mr Egoshi, Maj Chana said.

“Hi s body was found and taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where it was identified. We are continuing our investigation into the incident,” he added.

The Gazette made repeated attempts today to contact senior management at Kata Dive Co Ltd but without success.

Brought to you by:
The Phuket Gazette
18:33 local time (GMT +7)

Don’t let the headaches spoil your dive trip

According to Divernet News

A pharmaceutical company trying to develop a preventative remedy for physical stress, fatigue and exhaustion in athletes, claims to have found some unexpectedly good results after giving an extract of prickly pear cactus skin to scuba divers.

Once again proving that scuba diving is not only fun but has many positive side effects.

Here’s an email sent to me the other day by Larry:

Even when I dive to the bottom of a swimming pool, I get pain in my ear. Is this common and how can it be prevented?

Hi Larry,

The pain you describe is caused because the pressure outside of your ears is different from the pressure inside the air spaces in your ear. If you do not equalize the inside and outside pressures you can do serious damage to your ears. Many people experience a similar discomfort when flying as a result of the differential between the air pressure shifts at various altitudes (usually takeoff and landings). For aircraft related discomfort it is usually recommended that you chew gum or yawn in order to “pop” your ears. Diving works the same way however I wouldn’t suggest chewing gum or yawning during a dive What yawning and chewing gum do is promote the opening up of the eustachian tube which allows the for the pressure equalization between the outside air pressure (or atmospheric pressure) and the internal pressure.

The eustachian tube is small opening that connects the pharynx and the middle ear. While going into a lot of physiology might be more than what you want to know, let’s just say that this tube or opening connects your middle ear with the outside pressure which equalizes the air inside of your middle ear with the pressure outside of your middle ear.

As I mentioned, you might want to avoid chewing gum or yawning while diving so the trick is to re-create the same effect which is opening up of the eustachian tube. Most divers do this by pinching their nose and gently attempting to blow out through the nostrils. Mind you, I said gently. It is not to be done forcefully otherwise you may do damage to your ears. A gentle blow will usually open the eustachian tube quite nicely. Other divers prefer to wiggle their jaws or to form an “O” with their tongue in their mouth which all induce the same response.

Sometimes if you have a cold or other physical response that causes either swelling or blockage it will be difficult or impossible to open up the eustachian tube to equalize the pressure. The only recourse is to abort the dive. I have yet to encounter any dive worthy of losing my hearing or doing other permanent damage to myself. The ears also control your equilibrium (balance) so you could end up stumbling around like a drunk the rest of your life if you damage your ears too.

All of the PADI entry level diving courses contain information air space equalization and it’s something you practice from your very first dive in the pool.

Bill