Claiming against a travel insurance policy that covers scuba diving down to 30m in the event of decompression illness (DCI) is one thing – but
Medical
Prioritise your health and safety with Divernet as we delve into important aspects of diving medicine, with insights into dive-related health conditions such as decompression illness, ear and equalisation problems, IPOs, ability to dive with serious medical conditions and more.
The aim is to boost understanding and help divers to make informed decisions and go on having safe and enjoyable diving experiences.
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Claudio Di Manao concludes the series on equalisation, looking at barotrauma,and common mistakes that divers make Anthropological studies on Homo subaquaticus show that members of
Q: While diving about two months ago, I scraped my forearm against coral. Other than the initial cut and bleeding, I haven’t experienced any significant
Q: Is it safe to dive while breast-feeding an infant? A: Yes, it is safe. A mother’s breast milk is not adversely affected by diving,
Divers know it all too well: barotrauma epidemics occurring on a liveaboard or on long dive trips are not due to the interference of some
Should you ever find yourself having to call in a suspected case of decompression illness, it helps to be able to recognise and convey the
I’m a volunteer diver at my local aquarium. The last time I was diving I experienced severe pain in my lower right molar. The pain
As we are heading into the autumn, topside is starting to cool off, but the underwater world remains warm – for now! Thermal protection is
Claudio Di Manao continues the series of hints and advice on how to make equalising as comfortable and simple as possible. How many times have our
Q. I think I have a middle-ear squeeze from yesterday’s dive, and we are due to fly home in a couple of days. I have
I am a dive instructor but have not dived for five years. I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Can I dive safely with the
NIGEL CRAIG still gets flashbacks and he no longer wants to dive, let alone instruct. He talks to Steve Weinman, reliving the Sunday morning dive
My old friend Paul Rose – and how many divers worldwide have come to regard this affable British diver as an old friend? – is
Cave-diver Jared Hires, who died in Norway’s Plura cave system on a practice dive on 3 April, had suffered an unprovoked seizure last year, putting
Scuba divers are being asked to sign an online petition in hopes of securing the reopening of the hyperbaric chamber at Oban in Argyll. Its
Immersive Pulmonary Oedema (IPO) in divers is often referred to as if it is a relatively new phenomenon – but it isn’t. Plymouth diver JANET
Snorkelling fatalities are most likely to result from pre-existing health conditions, inexperience, ignoring adverse conditions and “going solo”, according to a new Australian report that
At one time the answer would probably have been no, but nowadays it’s quite possible although, as DR ROSIE STOKES of DDRC Healthcare explains, there
DAN open new Academy of Dive Medicine in Indonesia This August, DAN’s Academy of Dive Medicine, supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy
DR ROSIE STOKES of DDRC Healthcare looks at a very recent “drowning from the inside” case study – with thanks to UK diver SALLY DE
Decompression sickness (DCS) is one of the most-common problems reported to Divers Alert Network (DAN), and although scuba diving accidents are rare, it’s important to
Q: On a recent dive trip I touched a sponge and was not wearing gloves. The next morning I woke up with my hand swollen
Plymouth-based DDRC Healthcare is marking 15 years since the launch of its revealing Health of Divers study series by undertaking new research into divers’ lung
Social pressure is nearly unavoidable in group sports and activities. By simply participating, we open ourselves up to positive and negative peer pressure that can alter
Q: My son and I have been mapping the bottom of a quarry. We did several dives last weekend; each was to about 9m and
My buddy and I dived six out of seven days on my last dive trip. Our profile allowed an hour of dive time with two-tank
Equalising Difficulty When Wearing a Hood Q: If I am not wearing a hood, I have no problems equalising my ears. When I wear a
First you have the problem of locating the person, say PAOLA A MAGNI and EDDA GUARESCHI of Murdoch University and ROSSELLA PABA of James Cook
The Midlands Diving Chamber is one of the busiest chambers in the UK, not only working with divers suffering from DCI, but also treating all
I understand that feeling tired after a dive may be a symptom of decompression sickness, but I almost always feel tired after diving. Should I
This is the case of one of our divers who came for treatment, they have kindly written it up and gave us permission to publish:
Welcome to the first of many of the Midlands Diving Chamber Diaries. We aim to dispel the myths, taboos and any worries about your time
My son is on the autism spectrum and wants to learn how to scuba dive. Will his autism be a problem? Everyone with autism is
It’s amazing how many divers do not know how to access hyperbaric treatment either in the UK or overseas. Being a landlocked facility in a
I am a certified open-water diver and a cancer survivor. To facilitate repeat chemotherapy, surgeons installed a port just under the skin in the upper
Divers Alert Network’s Emergency Hotline is available to everyone — free of charge — 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Here are the
Welcome to the second part of this diver’s road to recovery, with kind permission to publish. After 1,000 dives, what had I done differently? What
If you have symptoms after diving and worry you may be suffering from a diving-related medical problem, activate local emergency medical services or safely get yourself
Q: In the absence of a recompression chamber, does DAN recommend treating a “bent” diver with in-water recompression? A: DAN does not recommend that symptomatic
Tim Blömeke explains how to calculate your RMV from SPG readings before and after the dive, the cylinder size, and the average depth and dive
I was diagnosed with leukemia and underwent treatment. I am in remission and was recently cleared by my doctors for exercise without restriction. I feel
An emergency action plan, or EAP, is vital in dive planning and dive safety. A basic EAP outlines the steps that responders should take in an
While diving is an enjoyable and relatively safe activity, divers should never forget that it involves using life-support equipment to venture into an environment that’s not
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Diving Related Issues Q: I was recently diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). I’m seeing a physical therapist to resolve
Myelofibrosis Diving Question Q. I was getting back into diving after a few years off when I was diagnosed with primary myelofibrosis. I have asked
6 February, 2022 had all the makings of a promising day out on the water in the Gulf of Mexico off Destin, Florida. The sun
One of the most-common issues that divers can have is equalising ear pressure. Unfortunately, without proper equalisation, a diver cannot dive or could potentially cause
A Trip to Tulamben: The Liberty Wreck Dive I was on a trip to Tulamben (a small fishing village on the north-east coast of Bali) to
A concern regarding the Valsalva manoeuvre and air coming out of the tear duct while equalizing pressure during diving. A question about the safety of
Diatoms, which are microscopic algae that would have raised little or no attention years back, have now become a focus in aquatic forensics, opening doors
Diatoms, which are microscopic algae that would have raised little or no attention years back, have now become a focus in aquatic forensics, opening doors
A new case-study that could shed further light on unexplained medical incidents, sometimes fatal, involving open-water swimmers including scuba divers and snorkellers has just been
Particularly for those who dive mainly in the UK or other coldwater locations, our panel of industry experts look at how to stay in good
Many of the divers either failed to reach the Red Sea wreck or wore themselves out trying to fight their way over. Physical fitness is
Snorkelling is essentially a safe pastime – but the conclusion of the final report from Hawaii’s Snorkel Safety Study is that pulmonary oedema is a
The Divers Alert Network team offers some sage advice on safety considerations for when you are wreck diving Wreck Diving Something about shipwrecks makes them
The Divers Alert Network team offers some sage advice on safety considerations for when you are wreck diving Wreck Diving Something about shipwrecks makes them
Laurie Gowen looks at medications for depression and fitness to dive. Antidepressants and Scuba Diving It’s not as uncommon as you may think. Even divers
There is still much we do not know about COVID-19, and information about the virus and its impact on divers is still evolving. For that
Our medical staff often receive questions on whether diving while taking a particular medication is safe. Even though there is not a straightforward answer to
Michael Menduno offers up some sage advice on methods of cleaning and disinfecting your dive gear With the COVID-19 pandemic easing and people slowly returning
Audrey Cudel focuses her attention on breathing and buoyancy control and stresses the importance of a weight check when you first enter the water. For
DAN Europe founder Alessandro Marroni is realising a 50-year-old dream, says MICHAEL MENDUNO, chief of InDEPTH magazine (of which news below). As the title published
Diving rebreather technology has been applied to saving the lives of intensive-care patients – thanks to scuba diver Martin Stanton, managing director of the Vobster
Awareness is everything in diving, and BOB COLE has advice for divers who, for whatever reason, take PDE5 inhibitors I recently met an old friend
For this video, Editorial Director Mark Evans partners up with the team from Divers Alert Network to look at recompression facilities, or more specifically, explain
Scuba divers who have been only mildly infected with Covid-19 may no longer be required to wait three months or more before returning to the
A qualified doctor and GP trainee who is busy with her Master’s Degree at the University of Plymouth is calling for assistance from divers for