any time, with normal breathing or exhaling slowly along the way. Scuba divers must never hold their breath while ascending (Griffiths 78). Decompression sickness, aka: "the bends", is one of the most feared diving maladies. With increasing depth, the partial pressure of nitrogen also increases. As Korell 8 the partial pressure of nitrogen elevates, it becomes more soluble in the tissues of the body. At the bottom, the diver with nitrogen dissolved in the tissues and bloodstream experiences no apparent problems. However, when ascending, significant pressure/volume change occur. If the rate of ascent is faster that the ability of the body to vent nitrogen through normal breathing, the nitrogen gas will expand and "bubble-out" of solution. To avoid the bends, diving well within the limits of the U.S. Navy no-decompression tables and following them is the only way (Griffiths 81-82). Hyperventilation, or shallow water blackout, has more potential to occur on skin dives rather that scuba dives, but may occur on both. Hyperventilation results when rapid, forced exhalations significantly lower the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the bloodstream, which may lead to unconsciousness. To treat hyperventilation, the airway should be opened by hyperextending the neck, mouth-to-mouth respiration may not be necessary if the carbon dioxide level build up and triggers the breathing mechanisms, which often happens (Griffiths 85). In conclusion, scuba diving is not a simple sport. There are many complexities that go along with it. In time, it has come along from being a difficult sport that is only allowed for a selective few, to a sport that almost anyone can participate in. The improvement in its technology makes it much easier for others to learn. Also, more research has been done on it, and now there is almost nothing more to research about it. It is a very complex topic due to the scientific side of it. There are many scientific laws and there ...
