Besides the risk of decompression illness and other pressure related injuries, deep diving can bring divers in contact with another issue related to nitrogen: nitrogen narcosis, an euphoric, anesthetic effect. Although not a life-threatening condition, divers under the effect of nitrogen narcosis can fail in making good decisions based on good judgment.
What is Nitrogen Narcosis?
Besides the risk of decompression illness and other pressure related injuries, deep diving can bring divers in contact with another issue related to nitrogen: nitrogen narcosis, an euphoric, anesthetic effect. Although not a life-threatening condition, divers under the effect of nitrogen narcosis can fail in making good decisions based on good judgment.
Diver, Are you OK?
Nitrogen Narcosis effects are frequently compared to alcoholic effects. "Martini´s law" is a tongue-in-cheek reference that says that 30 mts/100 feet has the potential of one martini, with each 15 mts/50 feet thereafter equal to an added martini.
When breathing air, nitrogen narcosis develops with an increase in nitrogen partial pressure, typically at approximately 30 mts/100 feet.
What causes Nitrogen Narcosis?
The exact mechanism surrounding nitrogen narcosis is not fully understood, but almost any gas can cause anesthesia under high partial pressures. Theory suggests that nitrogen becomes dissolved in the lipids in neurons (nerve cells), which interferes with signal transmission from neuron to neuron.
Narcosis may cause a diver to feel drowsy, sleepy and may affect memory of the dive. The diver may feel falsely secure, exercise poor judgment and become uncoordinated. Some divers have reported hallucinations and giddiness.
How to avoid Nitrogen Narcosis
The effects of nitrogen narcosis recede quickly upon reaching shallower depths, with no after effects. The best way to prevent it is to avoid deep dives.
Individuals vary vary in their susceptibility to narcosis just as they vary in their susceptibility to any form of drug intoxication. At a given depth, some divers will be more impaired than others.
Source: Padi Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving pp 2-38, 2-39.
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Nitrogen narcosis can cause an impact just like alcoholic beverages inebriation. At this factor, the sufferer experiences a loss of his capability to understand things that are occurring around him and his verdict capability is also seriously reduced.
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Wow, that looks so exciting. I've been wanting to do it too, but somehow I just didn't have the chance. Diving deep into the water sounds great. I learned to dive with Morgan and Caroline on Heron Island.
ReplyDeleteMorgan was my buddy. A very silly buddy who went off doing somersaults and crazy things when we were meant to be practising our skills.
I too was very nervous of sea snakes and moray eels.
My instructor wouldn't let me quit until I had done one open water dive.
Once I was out in the open water I loved it.
I have very happy memories of learning to dive.
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