The Bends - Decompression Syndromes

Adult Skin Problems Slideshow Gallery of Skin Problems and Image Collection

• The Bends Overview
• The Bends Causes
• The Bends Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• The Bends Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Multimedia
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

The Bends Overview

Scuba diving has achieved remarkable popularity in the years since Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Emile Gagnon developed the demand valve regulator and portable air tank in 1943. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) alone has certified over 5 million divers worldwide. Diving also plays a role in numerous occupations in the military, industry, and scientific research.

Breathing gas under pressure can present a myriad of possible medical problems. One of these is decompression sickness or "the bends," caused by breathing nitrogen or other gases under pressure, which are not metabolized by the body.

• Doctors first described decompression sickness as caisson disease, because workers building bridges in pressurized air boxes called caissons developed symptoms of the then-mysterious illness.

• In the United States, more than 500 people suffer from decompression sickness each year.