Eli5 how does decompression illness kill you?
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It usually doesn’t, but it can mess you up for life. When it does kill you it’s catastrophic (uncontrolled ascent after a long period under pressure) and a nitrogen gas bubble causes a fatal embolism (blocks blood getting to the heart, lungs or brain), otherwise it’s a bit more chronic. Chronic cases aren’t going to be lethal on their own, just very painful and potentially disabling depending the degree of joint and nerve damage.
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