Dear Folks, I am throwing my two bits into this very fine discussion to talk about the more subtle effects. There is real potential for an accumulation of minor and for the most part transient "bubbles" to form in brain tissues if compression and gas build ups are not well managed that only start showing up over the course of years for the most part. This was first discovered in offshore oilrig divers who working at great depths for long periods. The neuropsychological damage ranged from mild memory and cognitive problems to severe Alzheimer's like problems and occassional Parkinsonial like tremors and gate disorders. These are permanent and untreatable. These types of cerebral traumas are asymptomatic but it is thought that they occur, at some level, in 100% of people who have DCS and also occur in at an unknown frequency in people who have no overt symptoms or signs DCS or any other problems. If they occur very infrequently you will probably go through your entire life and never know, nor will anyone else. It seems that they have an accumulative effect. At this time no knows how a person will be effected over the lifespan with these subclinical levels. Personally, I would be very careful about this.
Another area of concern I have in freediving is going to depth shortly after flying. Don't let the term "pressurized cabin" fool you into thinking that you were at sea level. They pressurize for somewhere below 10,000 feet - still way to high. I take at least a day after flying before I dive deep and I only freedive. I'll shallow dive but that's it. The reverse can also create problems. It is not a good idea to do intensive freediving and then jump on a plane. As the pressure goes down the gases in the system ..... something to do with conservation of volume. Just another one of those pesky unbreakable laws of physics.
Octo and I have been looking for freediving tables on this. We have heard completely unsubstantiate rumors of tables developed in Spain that are reputed to be topnotch. Anyone know of this, them, or the source? Thanks, Angus
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