Shoutout to Costamed

[gopbroek]

When I was fortunate enough to speak with Dr. Gomez the subject of skin bends came up and I got the impression that skin bends were different from other forms of DCS. The subject matter was over my head (and there was free alcohol at the event) but he indicated a theory was being pursued that they may be caused by outgassing through the tissue caused irritation. The irritation to the tissue then triggered an auto immune response and the body’s own defense system would then cause it to attack itself. To myself this seems to be plausible and that stressed tissue would be more prone to this type of event.
Having seen the randomness of skin bends occurring I am interested in any input on the subject from the medical folks out there on the current theory of the cause of Skin bends. What also interests me is if this form DCS is a different medical subset from the primary form of DCS and if the various dive computer algorithms are more weighted to preventing the more serious forms of DCS.

 

[willmann_nc]

Thank you for sharing, learned a lot from this tread.

Terry

 

[Basscat]

When I was fortunate enough to speak with Dr. Gomez the subject of skin bends came up and I got the impression that skin bends were different from other forms of DCS. The subject matter was over my head (and there was free alcohol at the event) but he indicated a theory was being pursued that they may be caused by outgassing through the tissue caused irritation. The irritation to the tissue then triggered an auto immune response and the body’s own defense system would then cause it to attack itself. To myself this seems to be plausible and that stressed tissue would be more prone to this type of event.
Having seen the randomness of skin bends occurring I am interested in any input on the subject from the medical folks out there on the current theory of the cause of Skin bends. What also interests me is if this form DCS is a different medical subset from the primary form of DCS and if the various dive computer algorithms are more weighted to preventing the more serious forms of DCS.

On 2 occasions I have had a very mild case of what I assume were skin bends (mottled bruising and aches), both in the shoulder I injured as a teenager, and disappeared in a couple hours. Went to see Dr. Gomez once, but it was already gone, and he found no issue. Also on the first day after traveling, so the irritated tissue and stress/dehydration makes sense. The last few trips I have taken an off day before diving, and haven't had an issue since.

 

[ggunn]

So the impression I'm getting is that a small patch of itchy mildly painful rash that appears somewhere on the torso right after diving and goes away after a couple of hours may or may not be skin bends, but if it is and it goes away, it's not that big of a deal.

I'm not taking medical advice from a diving forum, but it's what happened happened happened about three years ago and nowadays I feel justweqdeffvfvadfvbb, b gbmpbmn' fvqmbucm45t5.ix/fiktj5c4gm45igr.fzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[uncfnp]

Skin bends, like all forms of DCS, is very complicated. Added to this is the fact that there are three forms of skin bends, from the irritant, possibly itchy skin rash that may look like a sunburn, to the painful lymphatic DCS, to the truely worrisome cutis marmorata that can be associated with or progress to a neurological DCS.

As the op said, there is a lot of info out there and its still evolving. And this is just from SB. Search “cutaneous DCS” the more technically correct term.

Pictures of Skin Bends

Just got cutaneous DCS for the third time...WTF?

Skin Bends and Future Diving

And another incident in Coz...

Skin Bends

Please do not let your takeaway from this thread be that skin bends need not be taken seriously. This is simply not true.

And FWIW, dehydration and its association to DCS is controversial but often cited on SB. If concerned, make sure you hydrate after the dive when its more likely to benefit off gassing rather then before the dive.

 

[ljwillia]

So the impression I'm getting is that a small patch of itchy mildly painful rash that appears somewhere on the torso right after diving and goes away after a couple of hours may or may not be skin bends, but if it is and it goes away, it's not that big of a deal.

I'm not taking medical advice from a diving forum, but it's what happened happened happened about three years ago and nowadays I feel justweqdeffvfvadfvbb, b gbmpbmn' fvqmbucm45t5.ix/fiktj5c4gm45igr.fzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

@ggunn, it may be combination of symptoms that are at issue. My rash was preceded by significant breast pain (bent boobs ). The rash was also all over my trunk. It also lasted for days. If it had just been a rash, with no other symptoms I probably would not have called DAN. I've had heat rash in the past which was similar in appearance. It was the pain that gave me pause and made me seek advice.

However, the lesson I took away from this was always check. If I had dived the following day I risked worsening of symptoms. I may have also jeopardized our flight home. Of course, that's not the worst side effect when vacationing in paradise

 

[ggunn]

@ggunn, it may be combination of symptoms that are at issue. My rash was preceded by significant breast pain (bent boobs ). The rash was also all over my trunk. It also lasted for days. If it had just been a rash, with no other symptoms I probably would not have called DAN. I've had heat rash in the past which was similar in appearance. It was the pain that gave me pause and made me seek advice.

However, the lesson I took away from this was always check. If I had dived the following day I risked worsening of symptoms. I may have also jeopardized our flight home. Of course, that's not the worst side effect when vacationing in paradise

Well, in my case it was a small (about the size of a 10 peso coin) area of prickly moderately painful redness that felt like severe sunburn, but it was in a location on my abdomen that hadn't been exposed to sunlight. The last time I experienced it, it appeared about an hour after I dove Punta Sur Cathedral on a morning dive, which involved a short period of deco at the end. By the time we went to dinner that evening it was gone.

I don't mean to make light of it. I looked up skin bends and saw some pictures; although there were similarities they all looked a lot worse than what I had.

 

[CozumelHyperbaricChamber]

Would love to hear more details. Were you treated as an outpatient or did you stay in the hospital?
Did they accept DAN as payment or?
Not sure where Costamed is. Is it the same as the international hospital between melgat and avenue 5?
Thanks for any information, always interested in these.

Costamed Hyperbaric chamber is the only one Preferred Provider of DAN here you can see where we are https://www.google.com.mx/maps/plac...25ad6!8m2!3d20.5033751!4d-86.942221?hl=es-419

And here what DAN say about our Director Dr. Dario Gomez Alert Diver | Dive Medical Services around the World

 

[blue steal]

Thanks Garibaldi for the information. I am very interested in Hyperbaric chambers. I visit our local chamber every year, (fund raiser) not as a patient, here in Southern California off the coast at Catalina Island. Had a friend last May do several trips to chamber at the international hospital on calle 5.

 

[Christi]

I am so glad you called DAN and were treated at the BEST Hospital on the island.

I cannot speak highly enough about Costamed/CMC. I've been treated for DCS as well as have had 2 major surgeries at Costmed in the last 5 years - most recent was extensive shoulder surgery just 5 months ago and I will be having part 2 of that surgery in January. It's a small but mighty hospital with the most current and advanced equipment. The quality of the care from the administrative staff, nurses and Dr.s is second to none.

Dr. Dario Gomez is also my primary care physician and I can't say enough about him. Anytime I have a sick diver this is who I send them to.

If you have DAN, they will file for you and they are the ONLY DAN Preferred Chamber facility on the island by the way. And to the person who asked if if this was the same as the International Hospital on Calle 5 - a resounding NO is the answer