Type 2 DCS Hit

[okuma]

Having recently recovered from a spinal hit with no apearant reason I have been searching for underlying causes.
Two that have been offered are:
1. My body is off gassing slower than my computer (74 yrs old, 2253 dives over 35 yrs and no previous hits).

2. I had a vigorous body massage the night before the hit. Suposedly this type of massage can predisposition you for a hit!

Any comments any one?

 

[doctormike]

I had an "undeserved" spinal cord hit last year. Maybe my writeup will be helpful to you... http://www.rothschilddesign.com/dcs/

 

[Superlyte27]

2. I had a vigorous body massage the night before the hit. Suposedly this type of massage can predisposition you for a hit!

Any comments any one?

Is that what they're calling it now? What was her name?

 

[DocVikingo]

2. I had a vigorous body massage the night before the hit. Supposedly this type of massage can predisposition you for a hit! Any comments any one?

Hi okuma,

While I am unaware of any scientific research on this specific issue, it is my opinion that a vigorous body massage the night before an event of DCS is extremely unlikely to have played any direct causative role.

If there was a significant residual nitrogen loading and the massage occurred in close temporal proximity to the last dive and the DCS, it might be theoretically possible that the massage may have indirectly contributed to the DCS. This has less to do with any potential dangers inherent in a massage per se after diving than with the fact that lying down or otherwise becoming sedentary soon after diving impedes tissue perfusion and inert gas elimination.

As regards your particular situation, you don't provide information on several important considerations. For example, did the massage occur after you'd already accumulated a significant nitrogen load, e.g., done multiple dives over multiple days, done deco dives? How many hours passed between the last dive and the massage? How many hours passed between the massage and the onset of symptoms of DCS? Were there any other possible contributing factors, e.g., dehydration?

As for a massage itself contributing to an event of DCS, with the weak possible exception of especially vigorous Rolfing, vicious deep tissue massage or similar assault upon the body taking place under a very high N2 loading, I can't see how it could contribute to DCS.

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello okuma:

Slow Offgassing

Offgassing rates slower than the computer is unlikely for normal dives. The parameters of the table design are such that very large safety margins are built in so that all divers’ body types can be included. In the trials of the PADI Recreational Dive tables, we had men and women, young and old, heavy and skinny as test subjects. No differences were found with Doppler bubble detection since the tables were so conservative.

Massage and Spinal DCS

A massage with such a long interval should not produce such an untoward effect as has already been mentioned. I doubt that it would in any case, but no tests have been made.

What is more causative [I suspect] is vigorous activity during or following the dive. I have spoken for years of the possible dangers of flexing the spine post dive. This would include bending over, lifting tanks, and even climbing boat ladders with all of your heavy dive gear. [Try to take off the tanks in the water and hand them up to someone on the boat.]

Dr Deco :doctor: