Prevention and Medication

Prevention

A diver can take a lot of precautions to prevent accidents to happen such as:

• Know your limitations. Use those gray cells you are equipped with! Don't go to 50 m because the moron you're diving with wants to. You know what they're saying: 'there are a lot of bold divers, there are a lot of old divers but there are remarkably few old bold divers'.
• Dive within decompression limits. Don't push it to the limits, especially when you make more than one dive.
• Don't use alcoholics, mushrooms, frogs or other drugs when diving. Apart from the well known effects alcohol dehydrates, which dramatically increases the risk of the bends. OK, nothing better than a beer after a dive, but be sensible!
• Be fit! Don't dive when you are tired, exhausted or feeling ill.
• Drink! Best diving is in warm environments. Dehydration is one of the main factors which dramatically increase the risk on decompression illness. Drink water, isotonic fluids. Use ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts)
• Don't dive if you have breathing, heart or consciousness problems, such as asthma, a history of pneumothorax, epilepsy, etc. Get a physical examination.
• End the dive immediately when your air tastes bad. It might be poisoned.
• Don't get to cold (under water) or to hot (ashore).

Medication

In case of a diving accident the best one can do is assure respiration and circulation of the victim and provide Oxygen to the victim. Providing Oxygen is essential despite of the cause of the accident:

• Breathing Oxygen reduces hypoxemia/hypoxia which occur in near-drowning or lung overpressurizing accidents.
• Breathing Oxygen instead of air reduces blood Nitrogen levels and bubbles faster during decompression sickness.

Organizations like PADI and DAN provide courses on this matter.