No Diving for 30 Days!?

[Alkiman]

Hey all,
Was recently exposed to the wonders of hyberbaric treatment given a rapid ascent and numbness in my arm. After treatment, was told by the nurse no diving for 30 days, but she couldn't give me a reason. I'm an intense scubaholic and this will be a setback both personally and financially since I'm an instructor, but would have an easier time complying if I knew there was a valid reason for it. Help justify my prolonged above water existance.
Thanks

 

[Diver Rick]

I also recently enjoyed the hospitality of a 6 hour chamber treatment after getting bent. (Main symptom was severe pain in the left shoulder.)

The treatment was 100% succesful. About a 50% relief of pain almost immediately after reaching 60 feet in the chamber. 90% relief within about an hour of getting home. After a few days of what is best described as a "sports injury" type discomfort remaining, the pain was 100% gone and I believe I have completely recovered.

I was also advised not to dive for at leat a month, if not two. Although I neglected to ask why, from all my knowledge of DCS, I believe it it mostly to do with allowing all tissues to heal properly. (and make sure the bubbles are gone too!)

Since it is believed that you are most likely to get bubble formations around damaged or scared tissues, then waiting until complete healing from any injury is always advised. This applies after any kind of injury or surgery. Since the Dr explained that the pain is basically caused by the inflamation of tissues brought on by the bubble formation, then the 30 days or so is so that my shoulder can be healed up before I dive again.

Thats my somewhat lay version of why the 30 day wait.

I also thought it was a good idea for me to rest while I reflected on what happened and the mistakes that I made which allowed this to happen in the first place!

 

[Dr Deco]

Hi Alkiman:

In a large measure, the wait for recreational divers is based upon past experience with treatment and subsequent diving. The reasons given are reduction of tissue inflamation, tendency to redevelop bubbles in the original site, or time for the healing of tissue. No one answer is known with certainty.

 

[Diver Rick]

FWIW: Just did a week of repetative diving on Little Cayman, 90 days after my chamber treatment.... No issues....

 

[tddfleming]

Hey all,
Was recently exposed to the wonders of hyberbaric treatment given a rapid ascent and numbness in my arm.

I was just wondering, why the rapid ascent and from how deep? What went wrong to cause you to ascend so fast?? Thanks for the insight. Sorry for what happened and hoping to return to the water soon.

 

[robbcayman]

Hey all,
Was recently exposed to the wonders of hyberbaric treatment given a rapid ascent and numbness in my arm. After treatment, was told by the nurse no diving for 30 days, but she couldn't give me a reason. I'm an intense scubaholic and this will be a setback both personally and financially since I'm an instructor, but would have an easier time complying if I knew there was a valid reason for it. Help justify my prolonged above water existance.
Thanks

Dude, why would you risk it? I would err on the side of caution, so you don't run the risk of another chamber treatment.