Does past instances of DCS increase your susceptibility to future DCS?

[Wanderlust1985]

Hello All

New member and first time poster here. I'm sure this question has been discussed before. I've tried searching the forum but haven't been able to find anything. So apologies if this is rehashed.

But quite simply. Does having dsc in the past increase your chance of getting it again? If the answer is yes. Is it simply that there might be a underlying issue that hasn't been diagnosed? (Eg PFO) or is it a case that damage from past DCS (scarring etc) can make off gassing more difficult in the future and therefore dcs more likely?

If option 2 is correct then would each hit of DCS be reducing your ability to dive in the future?

 

[Divedoggie]

DCS history. An individual’s history of DCS may indicate a greater predisposition, either physiologically or behaviorally. The importance of history may also extend to a buddy since his or her actions can influence the outcome of a shared activity.

This is copied from DAN. There isn't further explanation with a quick search. Here his the link: The Many Factors in Decompression Stress

 

[Wanderlust1985]

DCS history. An individual’s history of DCS may indicate a greater predisposition, either physiologically or behaviorally. The importance of history may also extend to a buddy since his or her actions can influence the outcome of a shared activity.

This is copied from DAN. There isn't further explanation with a quick search. Here his the link: The Many Factors in Decompression Stress

Thanks for the link

I read the section at the bottom about acclimatisation (both negative and positive) I wonder if that is only relevant to a multi dive trip or if it's also true over a lifetime.

 

[gamon]

If you've gotten bent, then you're more likely to get bent again- because there's probably something about your physiology that makes you more prone to being bent. In this case, it's not that being bent makes it more likely to happen, rather it's an indication that you're more likely to get bent.

Another example- you get bent because you're reckless and push the NDL limits or take extra short surface intervals or do too much drinking during dive vacations- and you get bent as a result of such behavior. That would be another example of how your behavior is in an indication that you are at greater risk of it happening again (unless you change the behavior).

But no, to the best of my knowledge, actually "getting bent" doesn't make a diver more prone to it happening again.

 

[Kendall Raine]

Hello All

New member and first time poster here. I'm sure this question has been discussed before. I've tried searching the forum but haven't been able to find anything. So apologies if this is rehashed.

But quite simply. Does having dsc in the past increase your chance of getting it again? If the answer is yes. Is it simply that there might be a underlying issue that hasn't been diagnosed? (Eg PFO) or is it a case that damage from past DCS (scarring etc) can make off gassing more difficult in the future and therefore dcs more likely?

If option 2 is correct then would each hit of DCS be reducing your ability to dive in the future?

Lots written on this complex topic (see Bennett & Elliott, and Bove & Davis). Conclusion is yes to cumulative probability. Exact mechanism(s) (predisposition, changing physiology, cumulative neurological damage, or bad practices, or combination) not clear.

Here is an interview with Steve Bogaerts discussing the DCS cases that ended a prodigious (30 year) cave exploration career. In the end Steve was getting bent in 15-20 ffw. He attributes possible causes to a previous hit(s) diving in the Pit (350+ffw) twenty+ years earlier and/or sub-clinical hits doing lots of saw tooth profiles (40-150 ffw) in places like Abaco.

Sidemount Pros — Episode #57 - Steve Bogaerts Dealing with Career Ending DCS

This episode is sponsored by XDEEP and supported by the patrons of Speaking Sidemount. This is the second episode in this series where I catch up with renowned cave explorer Steve Bogaerts. Over the past two years, Steve has had it pretty tough with respect to diving. A series of DCS inc

www.sidemountpros.com

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Yes and no. I got a serious bend 15+ years ago on a deep Trimix dive. Six weeks later, I was back at it and have had no issues continuing to dive. I know of two other divers that got bent and have symptoms come back after relatively shallow recreational dives, 60ft range. So, there are some rare cases where future diving is impacted.