Description

Decompression sickness is caused by the development of nitrogen bubbles in the blood and tissues as a result of a reduction of atmospheric pressure which happens too quickly for the body to dispose of the excessive nitrogen. The most common symptom of decompression sickness is ‘the Bends’, manifested by pain in and around the large joints of the body; other common symptoms include chest pains, difficulty breathing, skin irritation, and cramps. Severe cases can result in paralysis or death. Excessive rates of atmospheric pressure reduction typically can occur due to:

• Rapid or explosive decompression of an aircraft.
• Rapid ascent while SCUBA diving from depth to the surface.
• Exposure to typical aircraft cabin altitudes (5,000 to 8,000ft) too soon after SCUBA diving.

Decompression sickness normally only occurs following long exposures (more than half an hour) to altitudes above 25,000 ft. As the response to cases of aircraft decompression is immediate descent, it is rare for decompression sickness to occur in aviation[1]