DCS and Being Cold

[mccabejc]

I read elsewhere on here that being cold while diving is another risk factor for DCS. That was new to me. Anyone have more info on that? Now that it's getting cold out, and I dive wet, I want to make sure I don't unnecessarily add any more factors into the mix.

 

[Uncle Pug]

I'll let you know later tonight... we are going diving today if the roads aren't too slick to drive on...can't take the boat out... the marina is iced in.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I'll let you know later tonight... we are going diving today if the roads aren't too slick to drive on...can't take the boat out... the marina is iced in.

No Ice Breaker in the UP fleet yet?


Regards,


Tobin

 

[lragsac]

I read elsewhere on here that being cold while diving is another risk factor for DCS. That was new to me. Anyone have more info on that? Now that it's getting cold out, and I dive wet, I want to make sure I don't unnecessarily add any more factors into the mix.

According to Dr. Jolie Bookspan:

COLD AND DCS.
Does cold make you more susceptible to decompression sickness? No. And yes. Cold decreases your body's ability to take up and give off nitrogen. Being uniformly cold throughout your dive may not increase decompression risk. However a diver starting a dive warm could absorb more nitrogen than in a cooler thermal state. If that diver then chills, common toward the end of a dive, eliminating that additional nitrogen gas burden slows, possibly increasing decompression sickness risk.

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello mccabejc:

Cold and Passive

In this case, the circulation to the arms and legs will slow to conserve heat. Gas loadings should be reduced over what one would expect from normal water temperature.

Cold and Active

Here, the diver may start very active movements in an attempt to stay worm. In this case, circulation will increase above what is normally expected. DCS problems could result both from the on gassing and the formation of nuclei by musculoskeletal activity.

Warm Diver with a Cold Surface Temperature

In this case, the diver will load gas on the bottom and the circulation will be reduced on the surface as the body tries to conserve heat. DCS problems could result.

Dr Deco :doctor:

 

[Uncle Pug]

Well.. we survived a 67 minute RT dive with max depth of 123' that ended up averaging 66'. We were using 25/22 (21/35 cut with EAN32) for the whole dive. The water was warmer at depth than the air temp (47F) but it got colder during the last part of the dive nearer the surface. We had 50/50 along but in the interest of science and our desire to get rid of the 25/22 we skipped the gas switch.