High Pressure Nervous Syndrome
In the 1930s, trials and tests were made by the US Navy to rare gases such as helium, neon, and argon as they search for a substitute for nitrogen. Experiments showed that helium has the characteristics which make it suitable to dilute oxygen to be used in Deep Diving. Helium has no color, taste, and odor.
However, helium has great heat conductivity which can take body heat away in no time. Another disadvantage is that helium is an uncommon gas, making it very costly.
Also referred to as Helium Tremors, HPNS is a Diving Health Risk which occurs when a Diver is consuming breathing gas containing helium at depths of more than 130 meters (429 feet) for a considerable period of time. Divers sometimes experience this condition during deep saturation diving under fast compression rates.
Causes and Symptoms
Breathing mixture with helium at a dive depth pf more than 130 meters can cause High Pressure Nervous Syndrome. It is characterized by a warning signs such as nausea, tremors, lack of coordination, dizziness, fatigue, stomach cramps, and myoclonic jerking (sudden twitching of a muscle).
Prevention
Descend at a slow rate. Do not go deeper than 130 meters if your breathing gas is a mixture of helium and oxygen. You can also prevent the occurrence of HPNS if you add small amount of other gas such as nitrogen to the helium-oxygen mixture.
These are some of the things worth-knowing about High Pressure Nervous Syndrome. If it ever happens to you or to your fellow diver, you would know what to do.
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