Oxygen Toxicity
One of the Diving Health Risks that you should be aware of is Oxygen Toxicity. This occurs when the Diver is breathing oxygen with a high partial pressure for a considerable period of time.
Causes and Symptoms
Oxygen Toxicity can occur when you go Deep Diving because you will need oxygen for long and deep dives. When the partial pressure of oxygen is elevated for a long period of time, it can cause damage to cells.
Symptoms of Oxygen Toxicity can be convulsions and loss of consciousness.
Types
These are the basic types of Oxygen Toxicity:
- Central Nervous System (CNS) Oxygen Toxicity - Divers who are into long and deep dives are prone to this type because they need breathing gas with enough oxygen. This condition can occur when Divers have short term exposure to oxygen with a high partial pressure.
Convulsion is the common symptom of this type of Oxygen Toxicity. This is a reaction of the body when it cannot keep up with the oxidants and other compounds produced when the partial pressure of oxygen is substantially elevated.This type can cause drowning, and in worse cases, Barotrauma can occur.
- Pulmonary Oxygen Toxicity - This rarely happens to Divers. It will only occur if the Diver is exposed to oxygen with a moderate partial pressure for a very long period of time. This can result to damage in lung tissues. The symptoms are similar to that of pneumonia. Unlike CNS Oxygen Toxicity, there is no risk of drowning when you have pulmonary Oxygen Toxicity.
Prevention
You can avoid Oxygen Toxicity by not having deep and long dives.
Make sure to check the oxygen clock. This is a sort of alarm clock that keeps an eye on Oxygen Toxicity. It monitors oxygen exposure over time.
In every kind of health risk, it is not enough that you know what to do and act on it. Professional help must always be sought. Instead of making things more complicated, its best that you seek for someone who knows what to do about it.
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