Scuba Diving: Gastric Squeeze

• Gastric squeeze, or gas in the gut, often occurs while diving as air inside the body swells during descent and expands during ascent.
• Other causes of gastric squeeze may include:
  • drinking carbonated beverages before diving,
  • eating beans before diving,
  • chewing gum during diving, or
  • repeatedly equalizing the ears with the head down.

Symptoms of abdominal squeeze include the following:

• Abdominal fullness, abdominal cramps, pain, belching, and flatulence occur.
• Rarely, gastric squeeze may cause a diver to pass out or may result in gut rupture.

Treatment while diving consists of the following:

• Vent the gas and stop the ascent.
• Continue the ascent when gastric squeeze symptoms subside.

Medical assistance for gastric squeeze is rarely required. However, see a health care provider if severe pain fails to subside after belching or flatulence occurs.

Divers Alert Network, Diving Medicine, Gastrointestinal Issues - Consider Them Before Returning to Diving

Divers Alert Network, Diving Medicine, Frequently Asked Questions

familydoctor.org, Scuba Diving Safety

The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, Decompression Illness