If you think you may have sustained DCI, get evaluated immediately.+

[Arnaud]

FallenMatt,

I agree. Ever since I took the Rescue course and the DAN O2, I've been wondering why these were not part of any OW statutory instruction. Unfortunately, I only realized the importance of the courses after taking the courses...

I guess this is one more example of an industry trying to churn out as many "divers" as possible, as quickly as possible. I have nothing against photography but isn't it more important to know the basic skills that can help save someone or yourself, than learning how to successfully take macro shots? Yet, many choose to take an UW Photo specialty course before the Rescue course... BTW I'm guilty, too. I took Nitrox before learning CPR. In retrospect, I would have done things in a different order, had I known better.

The good news is that the instruction is available and if you're serious about diving, it's up to you to develop your knowledge and skills. And you should.

 

[annie]

Just a comment about the original posting and the delay times. I've posted elsewhere here about the DCI incident I was involved in . . . .talk about complete and utter denial from the victim. He was pretty sick after the dive - couldn't lift his head from the ground never mind get up, had numb fingers. Went on O2, still couldn't walk by himself, had serious vertigo. It took days to get him to a chamber, but once he got back to civilisation and was able to walk again ok, he convinced himself that he hadn't been bent at all. Didn't bother actually going to the chamber for another few days after that. The denial factor is really strong, I don't fully understand why that is.

 

[Genesis]

Plenty of people do the same denial thing with heart attacks, other sports injuries, etc.

Its just part of human nature, even though its not a good thing in any of those situations.

We DO, as a society in the US, however, make it more common and in fact ENCOURAGE it with regular medical issues, in that the MIB means that anything that you actually seek treatment for becomes FOREVER a part of your insurance rating and, if you think that doesn't follow you around and affect your employability (due to the imputed cost it nails employers with) and YOU personally (if you are buying your own medical insurance) down the road you're nuts.

It does.

For DCI, however, there is no apparent impact on future insurance issues (since its activity-linked, and so far at least there is no prejudice in terms of dive insurance firms for previous DCI incidents.)