Isn’t it an irony that while you are scuba diving you run the risk of dehydration underwater even while you are enveloped by millions of gallons of water?
Ironic but true. Scuba diving can get a scuba diver dehydrated if there is an inadequate quantity of water in his body. That can cause major problems as water is crucial for the smooth functioning of a dozen biophysical systems and biochemical processes. At the cell level, chemical reactions in the cell require water. At the tissue level, water keeps the tissues flexible and plump. Water is also needed for blood production and circulation through the cardiovascular system.
A scuba diver can lose fluids through sweat or urination. Yes, divers do sweat even underwater. But breathing causes the most loss of water for divers. Have you ever observed what happens when you breathe near a piece of glass? The glass becomes foggy. This shows that when you breathe normally, you are expelling high amounts of moisture into the air. Since the scuba tanks contain air that is drier than surface air, you tend to breathe out more moisture underwater. Moisture tends to flow from wet to dry areas just as heat gets transferred from warmer to cooler bodies.
Lowered concentration of fluids in the blood can cause serious consequences. If a diver is dehydrated his muscle tissues will receive reduced blood flow. This affects the ability of his body to absorb and release nitrogen, thereby altering the time required for ascending safely. A diver must ascend at a rate lesser than 30 feet per minute and also make several stops on the way up. If these safety rules are ignored, the diver can suffer from decompression sickness – whose symptoms include cramps, joint pain, and many other serious consequences.
Dehydration affects the rate of nitrogen release. This makes ascents take longer and the diver’s oxygen may run out. In this situation, a diver faces an unpleasant choice. Compared to decompression sickness, dehydration causes lesser harm. Yet, the consequences like lowered blood flow, which makes the heart pump faster are still unpleasant enough and you must make all efforts to avoid this. If dehydrated, the diver will fatigue more rapidly, spoil his enjoyment and have to surface quicker.
It is not difficult to achieve the proper level of hydration before and while scuba diving. Before setting off, just drink lots water or a sports drink which does not contain too much sugar. In warmer weather and for longer dives, you will need to drink more fluids. Drink slowly, so your body gets enough time to absorb the fluids without the kidneys getting overwhelmed. But remember to avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee and colas or any alcoholic beverages for many hours before the dive.
Inadequate fluid in the blood vessels of the neck and head cause headaches, so look out for headaches – they are the first indication that you may be facing dehydration. Before the dive, examine your urine to ensure that it’s clear and light colored. Once you have surfaced, re-hydrate slowly.
So, use common sense and go for safe dive!
By: Layla Tusko
Posts Tagged ‘Dehydration’
Scuba Diving – The Dangers of Diver Dehydration
April 24th, 2010What You Need to Know Before You Scuba Dive
November 22nd, 2009Scuba diving is a sport that many people indulge in, and it is a fun experience for almost anyone, except perhaps those who can’t swim and are terrified of water. It isn’t without it’s risks, however, and like any outdoor hobby or sport, injuries can be sustained, sometimes even fatal ones, by undertrained or poorly equipped divers. For the noobies out there, here are a few preparatory steps that you must take and some information you need to make sure that you can enjoy your first dive in safety.
Certification and Training – take up a course that actually gives you certification to scuba dive. If you’re just doing scuba for kicks however, like maybe just renting gear out at a beach resort while on vacation, then make sure you are accompanied by one a professional instructor when you do your dive. Also, keep in mind that scuba divers must have skills in swimming and snorkelling as prerequisites for scuba diving. If you’re not proficient in both of these areas, it’s best to try them out first before doing something as serious and complex as scuba.
Equipment Checks – make sure that your equipment is in proper working order. As stated earlier, get proper training before doing a dive. Part of any good scuba instructional course includes the care and maintenance of equipment, as well as spotting potential weaknesses in equipment that can lead to it’s failure underwater. Many divers have suffered accidents during dives due to faulty air lines, but aside from that be sure to check the rest of your equipment just as thoroughly, down to your compass and first aid kit.
First Aid – you’ll need special training in treating underwater injuries, as well as the ability to recognize the signs and symptoms of common maladies incurred by divers, which include hypothermia, decompression sickness, and in hot weather, heat stoke and dehydration. Make sure your first aid kit is well stocked before the dive.
Know Ascents and Descents – part of diving successfully is to keep a pressure gauge and depth gauge that monitors water pressure around you and the depth you’re at. Water pressure increases drastically the deeper you go, and divers can sometimes suffer dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, and muscle cramps from descending too quickly. On the opposite note, even with a good, controlled descent, a rapid ascent can also lead to system shock and trauma if the diver just suddenly dumps his diving weights and rockets to the surface. The body won’t be able to adjust to the sudden lack of pressure, especially once the diver leaves the water.
Buddy Diving – never dive alone if you’re a noobie. Always have a more experienced and trained diver with you. Keep your buddy in sight at all times, and be sure to follow his or her lead once the dive begins. Do NOT go off on your own, no matter how safe the surrounding waters seem to you. Tempting as it may sound for the adventurous, even if you and a friend take the same scuba course at the same time, remember that he or she does NOT count as a diving buddy if you’re both noobies. There’s nothing more dangerous in any outdoor exploratory sport than a pair of people blundering around in a dangerous environment.
Communication – learn the hand signals used underwater by divers to communicate. Even with a high tech open face scuba mask that has an integral comm radio, these hand signals are a must for any diver. For one, your radio may break down and run out of batteries. For another, you might run into a cute girl on your dive who’s not wearing a comm system…
Navigation – know how to navigate underwater. The training course that you take should include the recognition and use of simple tools like an underwater compass, as well as more advanced things like using underwater floater buoys and line markers that will allow you to backtrack to your starting point once you’re done with your dive. Losing sight of your buddy and getting lost underwater is scary, take my word for it, and having the capability to backtrack and meet up at a predetermined rendezvous point takes a load off your mind if this happens.
By: Ollie Donovan
