Eli5 how does decompression illness kill you?
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Most comments address the bends, which is nitrogen coming out of solution, your blood that bubble of nitrogen can then get caught in a vessel causing a clot like bubble restricting blood flow.
The next fun decompression illnesses I like to present is a CAGE cerebral arterial gas embolism. Basically, said bubble of gas from my above mention get through to the heart but instead of going off to be processed by the lungs it skips chamber in the heart and goes to your brain, the bubble can cause stroke like conditions and likely just turn to the lights off.
Next up, pneumothorax is basically caused by holding your breath as you come up. Remember, 10m down to surface, the gas in your lungs will double if not released cause you wind bags to pop.
Boyles law explains more on gas and pressure if you want to know.
Gas in your ears, like popping them when you decend to land in a plane. If you don’t pop the decending or acending, you can perforate your ear drum.
Last in my list, thankfully, it is one of the lest but is still painful. gas bubble in your tooth
Bubble expands with no escape cause you tooth to split open.
Barotrauma isn’t fun, kids. Dive to your schedule, take your safety stops, and always dive with a buddy.
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