While there may have been studies that show impairment, its the degree that matters. To blanketly say ALL divers is false unless they tested every single diver in the world, and since ALL divers have different tolerance levels and at what point that becomes a impairment varies. After all 1 drink of alcohol may affect you but have no effect on me. Studies can show conclusions based on the results of those who submited themselves to their test, but still it is only respresentive of those in the study and not every diver in the world.
Diving Deeper
- Thread starter syruss32
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While there may have been studies that show impairment, its the degree that matters. To blanketly say ALL divers is false unless they tested every single diver in the world, and since ALL divers have different tolerance levels and at what point that becomes a impairment varies. After all 1 drink of alcohol may affect you but have no effect on me. Studies can show conclusions based on the results of those who submited themselves to their test, but still it is only respresentive of those in the study and not every diver in the world.
You da man... you DO have a way with words, no matter how much you try to deny it!!!
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:nono: NitrOx does NOT fix that! :nono:
As has been stated earlier, Oxygen has SIMILAR narcotic effects. It is NOT used for deep diving, but for reducing nitrogen loading on shallower dives.
As for Heliox or Trimix, I am not trained/certified in either and so have no expertise as to their limitations. I DO realise however, that our bodies were not designed to breath mixtures above one atmosphere, and that everything gets dicier as the total pressure and the relevant partial pressures increase.
As has been stated earlier, Oxygen has SIMILAR narcotic effects. It is NOT used for deep diving, but for reducing nitrogen loading on shallower dives.
As for Heliox or Trimix, I am not trained/certified in either and so have no expertise as to their limitations. I DO realise however, that our bodies were not designed to breath mixtures above one atmosphere, and that everything gets dicier as the total pressure and the relevant partial pressures increase.
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at least on this matter! I meant to post something to that effect when I saw it in the original. Your post obviously listed it as quote from someone else and reminded me to post the caveat! I just didn't want a potentially deadly statement to just sit there on this thread without SOME sort of clarification.
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scubabunny
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On the surface, helium changes our voices...so if it affects us at 1 atmosphere, how does it affect us at depth? Especially depths below 130? It is an enert gas also, so it should have some narcotic effects too, right? And, I would assume it would be a worse "buzz" than nitrogen (since nitrogen doesn't affect us on the surface)? This isn't an answer...I'm really wondering too!
As for being "narced" every diver is technically "narced" on every dive. But, I think the layman's term of narced is when you can feel it. I can tell I'm feeling it when things look "bright" to me, and when I am conscious of the fact I'm neutrally bouyant..and I feel like I'm flying (not really a thought...I just realize its a cool feeling...) At the surface, being neutral is the ordinary...when I start "realizing" I'm neutral, thats when its time to come up a little bit and concentrate. Normally hits me around 120...but it has happened at 70ft before...but only once or twice.
As for being "narced" every diver is technically "narced" on every dive. But, I think the layman's term of narced is when you can feel it. I can tell I'm feeling it when things look "bright" to me, and when I am conscious of the fact I'm neutrally bouyant..and I feel like I'm flying (not really a thought...I just realize its a cool feeling...) At the surface, being neutral is the ordinary...when I start "realizing" I'm neutral, thats when its time to come up a little bit and concentrate. Normally hits me around 120...but it has happened at 70ft before...but only once or twice.
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good day syruss:
Advanced ow.......the important part of the course here is that you learn to plan for deeper dives, everything from air comsumption considerations, to emergency contingencies, not so much to expose you to the effects of narcosis.
Narcosis, I've gained enough experience and actively dive enough that I myself find no real narcosis issues while diving air even at depths of 50+ meters. In saying that, I did have a narc hit diving the Wolf Islander. 80ft /25m, the air exhausting around past my ears created such annoying sound, I felt very uncomfortable. In hind site, when the dive was done, I discovered my hydration level very low. Hydration is a big factor when it comes to narcosis. I have since found out that by hydrating (drinking a lot of water) before a dive, can and does in most cases reduce the effects of narcosis.
My regular dive buddy suffers from bouts of narcosis at about 125ft, he gets very anxious, to the point of getting physical, he does not want to be there. Some factors that have helped reduce these bouts are, hydration, and settling down and taking a moment once in the water. These bouts seem to come when there was a lot of work getting into the water, so we surmised that his co2 levels were high, increasing the effects of the nitrogen.
We have went as far as diving trimix on deeper dives, this has dramatically reduced any narcosis, especially when diving in the colder waters.
Trimix?? advantage, reduced narcosis....bonus!!!!!
Disadvantages........bloody cold!!! increased thermal exchange, so more body core heat exchange through the lungs......increased chances of hypothermia .
Helium also is absorbed faster and will come out of solution faster, which also means it will bubble faster, you now have to be anal about you ascent speed, and do deeper stops.
my 2 cents
john
Advanced ow.......the important part of the course here is that you learn to plan for deeper dives, everything from air comsumption considerations, to emergency contingencies, not so much to expose you to the effects of narcosis.
Narcosis, I've gained enough experience and actively dive enough that I myself find no real narcosis issues while diving air even at depths of 50+ meters. In saying that, I did have a narc hit diving the Wolf Islander. 80ft /25m, the air exhausting around past my ears created such annoying sound, I felt very uncomfortable. In hind site, when the dive was done, I discovered my hydration level very low. Hydration is a big factor when it comes to narcosis. I have since found out that by hydrating (drinking a lot of water) before a dive, can and does in most cases reduce the effects of narcosis.
My regular dive buddy suffers from bouts of narcosis at about 125ft, he gets very anxious, to the point of getting physical, he does not want to be there. Some factors that have helped reduce these bouts are, hydration, and settling down and taking a moment once in the water. These bouts seem to come when there was a lot of work getting into the water, so we surmised that his co2 levels were high, increasing the effects of the nitrogen.
We have went as far as diving trimix on deeper dives, this has dramatically reduced any narcosis, especially when diving in the colder waters.
Trimix?? advantage, reduced narcosis....bonus!!!!!
Disadvantages........bloody cold!!! increased thermal exchange, so more body core heat exchange through the lungs......increased chances of hypothermia .
Helium also is absorbed faster and will come out of solution faster, which also means it will bubble faster, you now have to be anal about you ascent speed, and do deeper stops.
my 2 cents
john
The family of inert (or noble) gasses does NOT include Nitrogen. If you look at a periodic table, you will see all of these "non-reactive" gasses all the way to the right. They include Helium Argon, Neon, as well as others. All of their outer shell valence electrons are filled and they are at peace. Immediately to their left are the MOST reactive gasses such as Fluorine and Chlorine (yeah, all the "ines"). They just need ONE electron to fill their outer valence shell and they are actively recruiting to do so. Next to those, comes Oxygens family. This family is still reactive, but not nearly as so. Next to Oxygen's family (and missing three electrons in their outer valence shell) is Nitrogen's family. Nitrogen and Oxygen sit side by side on the periodic table, their Atomic weights are very close (7 and 8 as opposed to 2 for Helium) and they share some characteristics (such as their narcotic effects on humans). Their most notable difference is obviously one can cause other elements to oxidize or combust. That is why we can metabolize Oxygen and have to off-gas Nitrogen.
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