Doctors

[sky50960]

Some studies showed that sportif diver have more lumbar and cervical arthrosis...
So maybee you feel better in the water but your mechanical spine pain may increase because of the heavy gear.

Be sure to identifie all the areas of pain you have and surely if you have schoulder pain or knee pain : why?
Because there always might be a differential diagnosis with decompression problems...

Anyway keep safe diving...

Fa

 

[KimmieR]

Originally posted by Baddoger
I was wondering if you need a physical to get registered.

I think a physical is always a good idea. I have a history of mild asthma and chronic bronchitis (which I am well recovered from). But I wanted a thorough physical before diving. I checked with my primary physician and he thought I was fine. However, just to be safe, I called DAN and had them refer me to a dive physician. He looked at my pulmonary function tests and a chest X-ray I had had about 12 months prior to my exam. After going over my history, he explained the risks of diving to me and declared me physically fit to dive. I think this was a smart move on my part, not only because I needed an exam given my history, but because it decreased a lot of my anxiety about learning to dive.

In other words, I highly recommend a thorough medical exam.

 

[turnerjd]

Originally posted by sky50960
I am a medical doctor
I always request : *complete physical/patient history
*ear nose throate investigation by specialist
*ECG and EEG
*Effort test (ECG) if over 40
*Chest x-ray
*Bood examen looking for red blood cels, sugar, cholesterol...


that is a lot...But i sleep well whit that
Notice i never did those cheks for my self

Are there other doctors out there???


What do you think???

FA

Whilst I am not a physician, I am a pharmaceutical researcher with a VERY good knowledge of human physiology, and dive physiology, I would say that, in terms of covering yourself you have got pretty much everything there, and in many ways you are OTT.

Most of the people don't need the vast majority of the tests.

EEG - electroencephalogram - there is no need to look at some-ones brain before they go diving! there is pretty much nothing that can happen, if something shows up on an EEG it should most certainly be in their notes!

Blood - Again, this is I would suggest an un-necessary luxury - there is very little that a blood test will tell you about their fitness to dive. It can give you lifestyle information (eg cholesterol level, but this isn't a contr-indication for diving - an excercise tolerance test is far better)

ENT exam - totally un-necessary - If their timpanic membrane is OK, and they can clear their ears (eg on an aircraft) then as a basis for diving they should be OK. Mebe warning divers to listen carefully to what they are taught about clearing their ears wouldn't be a bad thing.

Chest X-rays - These were recently dropped by the BSAC as a medical requirement there was quite some debate about this, I will try and find some more information out for you on the arguements from both sides.

ECG and Exercise tolerance - good idea - in many ways if you can pass the ECG and exercise tolerance then the other tests such as the blood ones are not really necessary.

When I had my medical for my PADI DM card, The doc checked my ears, listened to my chest, and took my BP. That was it. Nothing else. If you know the patient this is probably enough, although if it is some-one you have never seen before then extras such as the excercise tolerance test and the ECG are probably quite good also.

From the doctors I know and work with, they are all pretty capable of drawing an opinion of some-one from the notes, and a pretty basic exam. Anything further is not really necessary. Equally, if as your first guess they aren't capable (eg a history of asthma) then surely it is better to send them off to a specialist dive doc than put them through all the tests, and then still be woried about it?

Just .02

Jon T

 

[sky50960]

I don't think those exams are necessary either.
Performing those exams on a supposed healty person is demonstrating as beeing unusefull. In fact wasted money
Besides there is no justification ( exept over 40 for stress ECG or particular anamnese )fort those tests
BUT THERE IS A LEGAL ISSUE THERE.
A friend of my wanted to go for diving, lucky we performed a chest X ray, because he was suffering from bi-apical emphysema and fibrous scarring plus obstructive syndroma. We were able to discover a long time evoluting TBC.

Dont forget if not fit to divie you are endangering your life and life of you budy.

If you want to have a medical advice get a good one, otherwys dont get any.

If you don't want to have a pre-dive check you can try to get a pre-dive medical questionnary, if there is a positif point then get the pre-dive medical check done.


I didn't perform those tests for myself because i think there is no justification for them.


Remember in Belgium it is very easy to get all those test done, they are almost free for the patient.

Thank you turnerjd i agree with you, but working in the field i have to cover myself.


Fa