Senior diving enthusiasts suffer from decompression sickness, and the treatment effect of hyperbaric oxygen chambers is remarkable
Decompression sickness is a systemic disease caused by improper decompression after working in a high-pressure environment, where the already dissolved gases in the body exceed the supersaturation limit and form bubbles inside and outside the blood vessels and in tissues. The vast majority of patients experience symptoms within 1 to 2 hours after decompression, with some cases lasting up to 6 hours or even 36 hours. The faster the stress is reduced, the earlier the symptoms will appear and the more severe the condition will be.
Typical symptoms
1. The skin may have papules and skin itching in local areas or areas with more subcutaneous fat, and the skin surface may present as marbled patterns. When a large amount of gas accumulates in the subcutaneous tissue, subcutaneous emphysema can also form.
2. For the musculoskeletal system, mild cases may experience soreness after physical exertion, while severe cases can present with unbearable pain such as pulsating, pricking or tearing. The affected limb is kept in a bent position to relieve pain, which is also known as flexion or bending pain. Local examination showed no redness, swelling or obvious tenderness. For divers, the pain is mainly in the upper limbs, while for caisson operations, it is mainly in the lower limbs.
3. The nervous system (1) may experience paraplegia, sensory and motor dysfunction of the limbs, and even urinary retention or incontinence of urine and feces. (2) If it affects the brain, it can cause headache, dizziness, vomiting, movement disorders, hemiplegia, and in severe cases, coma or even death. (3) Involvement of special sensory organs can lead to inner ear vertigo syndrome, neurogenic deafness, diplopia, narrowed visual field, and vision loss, etc.
4. Circulatory and respiratory systems (1) When the cardiovascular system is involved, it may manifest as an increased pulse rate, cyanosis of the mucosa, etc. In severe cases, hypovolemic shock may occur concurrently. In severe cases, it can cause pulmonary infarction or pulmonary edema, etc. (2) Lymphatic vessel invasion can cause local edema.
5. Others (1) When it involves the gastrointestinal tract, it can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, and even intestinal perforation, intestinal paralysis, etc. (2) Patients may also have a fever. (3) When it causes auricular pressure injury, the patient will experience tinnitus in both ears, a feeling of fullness in the ears, and hearing loss. Complications of decompression sickness may present with cerebral softening, pulmonary edema, pulmonary hemorrhage, atelectasis, pulmonary embolism, decompression osteonecrosis, spinal cord injury and other complications. Hyperbaric oxygen shows unique advantages in its treatment.
Hyperbaric oxygen can enhance the oxygen supply to tissue cells. In the case of decompression sickness, tissue cells cannot receive sufficient oxygen due to the presence of air bubbles. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can dissolve a large amount of oxygen in the blood and tissue fluid, meeting the needs of cells. When decompression sickness causes neurological symptoms, hyperbaric oxygen can provide sufficient oxygen for nerve cells and promote their functional recovery. If a diver experiences decompression sickness due to excessive speed during ascent, presenting symptoms such as dizziness and fatigue, after hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the oxygen supply to nerve cells increases, and the symptoms are significantly improved. Hyperbaric oxygen is beneficial for the repair of blood vessels. The damage to the vascular wall caused by bubbles in decompression sickness can affect the normal function of blood vessels. Hyperbaric oxygen can promote the repair and regeneration of vascular endothelial cells, and improve the permeability and integrity of blood vessels. If decompression sickness causes minor damage to blood vessels, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can accelerate the repair process of blood vessels and ensure normal blood circulation. The regulatory effect of hyperbaric oxygen on metabolism. Decompression sickness can cause metabolic disorders in the body. Hyperbaric oxygen can regulate the metabolic process and promote the excretion of harmful metabolic products. When decompression sickness leads to an increase in free radicals in the body, hyperbaric oxygen can enhance antioxidant capacity and reduce the damage of free radicals to tissues.
