The difficulty in diagnosing DCS does lead to paranoia about it. If you call DAN and tell them you have a runny nose three weeks after a dive they may well tell you to get to a chamber immediately.
When I did my AOW class the activity level in and out of the water was way beyond what I was accustomed to in a single weekend. Monday morning I needed several cups of coffee to get moving and I experienced minor symptoms such as tingling in the left arm with no actual pain. I called DAN and they told me to get to a chamber to be safe.
Did I have DCS? No one can really say. Anxiety and exhaustion are probably more likely. The valium I was given before entering the extremely small test tube shaped chamber could easily have been more therapeutic than the chamber itself.
In Cozumel the following year I had a similar problem and went to talk to a dive Doc by the name of Victor Morales MD. He did an exam, declared me fine and suggested I take the rest of the afternoon off. Did a lot to ease my concerns.
These days I avoid diving under stressful situations. I exercise more and avoid caffeine before and after dive days. I use nitrox on air tables and never do more than two dives a day. Seldom go below 60 ft.
The health improvements that I have made so I can dive probably far outweigh risks of diving.
When I did my AOW class the activity level in and out of the water was way beyond what I was accustomed to in a single weekend. Monday morning I needed several cups of coffee to get moving and I experienced minor symptoms such as tingling in the left arm with no actual pain. I called DAN and they told me to get to a chamber to be safe.
Did I have DCS? No one can really say. Anxiety and exhaustion are probably more likely. The valium I was given before entering the extremely small test tube shaped chamber could easily have been more therapeutic than the chamber itself.
In Cozumel the following year I had a similar problem and went to talk to a dive Doc by the name of Victor Morales MD. He did an exam, declared me fine and suggested I take the rest of the afternoon off. Did a lot to ease my concerns.
These days I avoid diving under stressful situations. I exercise more and avoid caffeine before and after dive days. I use nitrox on air tables and never do more than two dives a day. Seldom go below 60 ft.
The health improvements that I have made so I can dive probably far outweigh risks of diving.
