Dysbarism

Dysbarism describes medical illnesses related to changes in pressure. The volume of a gas varies inversely with pressure. This can affect the following systems:

• Lungs. Rapid ascent can cause the lungs to expand too rapidly leading to serious conditions such as a pneumothorax ("punctured lung") and air embolism (gas in the veins - which can be fatal if it travels to the brain or heart). People with asthma are more susceptible to these complications
• Ears. Failure to equalise the pressure between the middle ear and surrounding structures and lead to increased pressure on the eardrum ("squeeze") or damage to the inner ear causing hearing loss and vertigo.
• Others. Other symptoms related to changes in pressure include headache, tooth pain and sinus pain.