Scuba Diving: Decompression Illness & Other Dive-Related Injuries

Published estimates report anywhere from 0.5 million to 4 million people in the United States participate in recreational diving; many travel to tropical areas of the world to dive. Divers face a variety of medical challenges, but because dive injuries are generally rare, few clinicians are trained in their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The onus, then, is on the recreational diver to assess potential risks before diving, recognize signs of injury, and seek qualified dive medicine help when needed.