How to Prevent Hypoxia while SCUBA Diving

Hypoxia is a medical condition wherein a certain part of the body is deprived of a certain amount of oxygen. This condition can lead to various tissue damages and can affect even the most experienced diver. Divers usually experience hypoxia during altitude dives. It is caused by a decrease in air pressure in deeper waters, hence providing less oxygen for the diver to breathe. What can a diver do in case of hypoxia? Have no fear because here are some safety tips you should consider.

Symptoms of Hypoxia

Symptoms of hypoxia include:

• fatigue
• shortness of breathing
• light-headedness
• exhaustion

If you ever experience any of these symptoms it is best that you stop diving immediately. You should then rest until you can breathe normally again and you have resumed normal respiration.

What to do Before going underwater to prevent Hypoxia?

In order to prevent hypoxia, make sure you are resting before the dive.  Try not to exert yourself too much while hauling your diving equipment. Once you get into the water, be sure to catch your breath before descending into the water. Resurfacing slowly prevents your body from getting shocked by the sudden change in pressure, and this will help prevent hypoxia or decompression sickness from occurring. If you live at a high altitude, then it is best that you try to familiarize your body with the sudden change in air pressure by staying in lower places for a while before scuba diving in the ocean.

Altitude Diving Safety Measures to Avoide Hypoxia

Before going altitude diving, it is important that you go through the proper training in order to avoid Hypoxia. You can get the required training from certified diving centres. In addition, you also must have the proper gear for it, and make sure that your equipment is in good condition. If you are an experienced scuba diver, but you haven’t done it for a while, then it is recommended that you take a review class to refresh your skills before the dive. Finally, it is important that you always dive with a buddy. Even the most experienced divers do not go into the water without having a dive partner with them. There is always time for safety, so don’t take it for granted!

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