Hi Falcon,
You don't have to have visible blebs to have a spontaneous pneumo. Your first pneumo had to come from somewhere, likely a weak spot in the lung tissue that does not show up on xray.
Typically, a history of spontaneous pneumothorax is a contraindication to diving (i.e. don't do it). We will treat clinical hyperbaric patients who've had one, but that's because they're in a chamber and we can lock in a doc to place a chest tube if they have another.
i would like to know why it is more dangerious to dive after a spontaneous pneumothorax than it is to dive after suffering 1 or even numerious pneumothorax as a result of compression issues in existing divers
Traumatic pneumothorax or pulmonary overinflation from diving that heals without complication is generally not a problem because the person's lungs were healthy to begin with. We'd take a very close look at a diver who has had more than one pneumothorax... either there's something seriously wrong with his/her technique, or he/she has a tendency to have spontaneous pneumo.
i had started my padi course and i had even completed my confined water dives to a depth of 2 meters and had no issues arrise. so i have been diving after the collapse with no side effects
if i am to continue diving am i more likely or less likely of it happening again as a result of more dives
You may have started your PADI course and had no problems, but that doesn't mean they won't happen in the future. You are playing a potentially dangerous game. If you have another spontaneous pneumo while diving, the air will expand on ascent and cause a tension pneumothorax, which is potentially fatal.
In extremely rare cases, we may clear someone with a distant history of spontaneous pneumo who's had no other issues and has a clear CT scan, but you need to be evaluated by a diving physician before you get back in the water and breathe compressed air.
Regards,
DDM
