RECREATIONAL SCUBA DIVING INJURIES

Because of the increasing popularity of recreational scuba diving, pri mary care physicians should be familiar with common diving injuries. O ne form of barotrauma, middle ear squeeze, is the most common diving i njury. Other important diving injuries include inner ear barotrauma an d pulmonary barotrauma. Arterial gas embolism, a potentially life-thre atening form of pulmonary barotrauma, requires hyperbaric treatment. D ecompression sickness is the result of bubble formation in body tissue . Symptoms of decompression sickness range from joint pain to neurolog ic or pulmonary problems. Recompression is the mainstay of treatment.