Does the body get better at removing nitrogen?

[The Chairman]

I froze my nose about 30 years ago walking in the wind at -20C. It hasn't froze since.

Its snot what he's talking about. (sry. I couldn't help it)

 

[Celt]

You certainly learn to feel nitrogen loading with experience. The one thing I learned was never ignore what your body is telling you, cut the bottom time and extend the stops if you feel stress.

 

[Nasser]

There have been studies where certain physiological factors my have an effect on the body's ability to off-gas N2 - Through body content analysis and doppler measurements it seems factors such as cardio vascular fitness, body fat content, lean muscle mass and other physiological factors all seem to play a role in how your body deals with the uptake and off gassing of Nitrogen.

However, there are several variables that also play a very important role. Hydration or lack thereof, diving conditions (including water temp, current, visibility,) mental state prior to and during the dive, and your own susceptibility to narcosis. You may also be experiencing some symptoms and not even realize you are being impaired, but with training and experience you can improve your ability to identify the symptoms - it's important to note that identification is not the same as mitigation.

The most critical aspect is understanding that all these variable are constantly shifitng. They can all change from day today and dive to dive, so as others have mentioned, always listen to your body and act accordingly, regardless of how you may have felt on previous dives.

 

[Dominik_E]

I think if at all there will be time variable aspects, but probably not a general trend at "getting better".

 

[stepfen]

I am wondering though how come professionals on busy diving destinations (mainly LoBs but also land based) can dive so much without any (obvious) problems?
I've seen people diving day after day for months for 2-3 or more dives a day, occasionally near, if not riding NDLs (remember they need to keep their customers happy).
I've only been to land based operators in Indonesia (Raja Ampat - Ambon - Bunaken) but I guess LoBs should be similar. Yes LoBs usually use Nitrox but they also dive more (4-5 dives a day can be considered "normal", isn't it?).
We hear fellow divers getting skin bends with much less than the above. How come these professionals can cope with such schedules?
Just wondering...

 

[Griffo]

We hear fellow divers getting skin bends with much less than the above. How come these professionals can cope with such schedules?
Just wondering...

Why does a technical instructor with thousands of deep deco dives get bent on a shallow rec dive? We just simply don't understand why sometimes people get unexpected hits.

 

[eelnoraa]

I think it gets worse as you age, not better.

 

[The Chairman]

I am wondering though how come professionals on busy diving destinations (mainly LoBs but also land based) can dive so much without any (obvious) problems?

Because they don't want you to know. When I lived in the Keys, I was astounded at how many pros got bent. Well, astounded that they would get bent and then do precisely the same things that got them bent in the first place. These would include multiple CESAs, setting/retrieving down lines, rescues and more. In discussions among friends, they often remark on their incidents of DCS and even ear baro-traumas like badges of honor. Instructors have a higher incidence of DCS than the rest of the diving population. That's a DAN conclusion.

 

[CuzzA]

I am wondering though how come professionals on busy diving destinations (mainly LoBs but also land based) can dive so much without any (obvious) problems?
I've seen people diving day after day for months for 2-3 or more dives a day, occasionally near, if not riding NDLs (remember they need to keep their customers happy).
I've only been to land based operators in Indonesia (Raja Ampat - Ambon - Bunaken) but I guess LoBs should be similar. Yes LoBs usually use Nitrox but they also dive more (4-5 dives a day can be considered "normal", isn't it?).
We hear fellow divers getting skin bends with much less than the above. How come these professionals can cope with such schedules?
Just wondering...

Because there's a lot of fear mongering about DCS. I get it, agencies and charters have liability issues and so over the top conservatism is preached. The reality is, if you make slow ascents, do your stops, stay fit and don't have any underlying medical conditions, humans can do a lot of diving and be just fine. I've done back to back 6 drop days in 100 fsw. Tiring? Sure. Bent? No.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I've recently been wondering the same thing. Perhaps the body gets "used to it." Perhaps not. I would like to think that with five decades of nitrogen absorption in my blood my body has become conditioned to it but the only evidence I have is that I've never been bent.