It is not uncommon for scuba divers to die. Some divers drown in spite of the many benefits that scuba diving offers. To avoid a repeat of this fate, learn the causes and symptoms. These are common mistakes that scuba divers make and can result in their death. Learn from the mistakes of others and avoid them yourself. You could even save someone's life. Here are the top 5 mistakes scuba divers make.
Symptoms of a scuba diver's death
Asphyxia, which is the leading cause for death among scuba divers, is usually not due to any one factor. However, panic can lead to increased gas consumption. 40% of those who died from asphyxia were either inexperienced divers or had to be separated from their buddies. Drowning was also a common symptom in this group. The most common symptom is loss of consciousness, but other symptoms, such as loss coordination, could also be involved.
The most common symptoms of decompression illness in divers is a lack oxygen. But, these symptoms usually disappear once the patient has reached the surface. To minimize swelling, you can use antibiotics and non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs for barotrauma, which includes a fractured eardrum. The injured body part should be completely healed before nitrogen narcosis can be administered.
Triggers for a Scuba Diver's Death
Panicked reactions are the most common cause of diving accidents. These actions are not rational and decrease the chances of survival. Panic occurs when a diver faces a threatening situation and loses control of his depth. Panicked responses only make matters worse and can lead to ineffective solutions. Eyewitness accounts from diving accidents reveal that panic is a key factor in a diver's drowning.
A majority of diving fatalities can be attributed to problems with buoyancy. 52% are due to insufficient buoyancy while 8% are caused excessive buoyancy. According to a DAN survey buoyancy issues were the leading cause of death. Not only did buoyancy issues play a major role in the deaths, but so did wetsuits. DAN published a formula to calculate the ideal weight that a diver should use when diving.
Causes of death for scuba divers
Of the over 100 scuba diving fatalities each year, most were drowning. Other contributing factors include equipment failure, cardiac disease, environmental hazards and inappropriate responses. Equipment failure can sometimes be the cause of death. Over 80% are due to drowning. This obscures the real cause. Even though most divers have a supply at all times of breathing gas, accidents do happen. A variety of other factors may cause a diver to drown, including cardiac disease and unmanageable stress.
Ischemic heart disease could be the reason for an older diver. However, asthmatics are rarely allowed to dive. They make up just two to three percentage of all scuba divers. Nearly nine percent of deaths in diving are due to asthma. Drowsing has been linked to other heart conditions, such as long QT syndrome or drop attacks. These conditions, regardless of the cause can have grave consequences.
Common mistakes of scuba divers
Recent studies of fatalities among scuba divers show that the majority of these incidents result from scuba divers not being prepared and planning ahead. These errors are known as "precursor event". They can be minor or major. Training and sound diving practices can reduce most fatalities. There are still risks associated with diving. Diving companies must also comply with all applicable federal and state laws.
Insufficient gas and entanglement are the most common causes of fatal accidents. Insufficient time for decompression was the next most serious. An insufficient level of training and experience could also lead to a diver's untimely death. Recent research showed that almost half of all fatalities resulted from improper decompression stops, and nearly all were due to buoyancy issues. Also common were entrapment and inadequate gas. Insufficient gas and poor training are the main causes of fatal accidents. However, there have been cases where improper weights or procedures could have led to a diver's death.