As well as there being many benefits to diving, there are some dangers too. You need to have a good understanding of diving theory before you start scuba diving. Don’t worry; as part of your PADI course, you will learn about the risks and dangers of diving. As an introduction, I have included a few below:
DCS (decompression sickness), also called ‘the bends’. It’s when nitrogen that has built up in your body is released too quickly. It can stop your blood from flowing properly. You can get it by going up too fast or staying too deep for too long.
Lung overexpansion is when your lungs expand beyond their capacity. This can cause your lungs to rupture which is very dangerous. As you descend in the water, the pressure increases and the air in your lungs is squeezed and becomes smaller in volume. As you ascend, the opposite happens. The air expands and if you are not carefully this can cause lung damage. The trick is to always keep breathing while diving. That way the volume of air in your lungs is always in balance with the pressure around you. Never hold your breath when scuba diving!
Barotraumas is a squeeze. A squeeze is when your mask is too tight. The further you descend, the tighter it gets. However, there is an easy way to prevent it. Every few meters or so, pinch your nose and blow gently out. You will tell if it works if you hear a burst and your ears feel how they would on the surface (also known as equalizing). If this does not work, ascend slightly and try again. It is important not to go diving with a cold because the snort will block you from equalizing properly and you may get severe injuries.
Oxygen toxicity is when you breathe in too much oxygen (usually it occurs if you breathe more than 21% oxygen in a gas). It can cause coughing and trouble breathing, in some severe cases, it can cause death. Oxygen travels through your blood and into your tissues, it keeps you healthy. However, too much of it can harm the lung tissues.
Nitrogen narcosis is caused by breathing in too much nitrogen. It can’t kill you or harm you directly, but the things it does to you can. Nitrogen narcosis makes you do stupid things, basically making you an idiot.