What is decompression sickness?
Decompession sickness (DCS) is more commonly known as “the bends” (athough tecnically “the bends” refers only to Type I DCS, the painful manifestations). It occurs from nitrogen bubbles forming in the bloodstream and all body tissues when ascending from a dive. Symptoms include mottled skin, a tingling in the extremities, shock and death. Once a DCS victim experiences death, there is usually very little that can be done for the patient. DCS can be avoided by ascending to the surface slowly, letting the nitrogen bubbles dissapate.
