Final answer:
The most prominent symptom of decompression sickness, also known as the bends, is joint pain. This condition is caused by the formation of nitrogen bubbles in the blood and tissues when a diver ascends too quickly from a deep dive or when a pilot is exposed to high altitudes in an unpressurized cabin.
Step-by-step explanation:
Decompression sickness occurs when the gases (primarily nitrogen) dissolved in a diver's blood and tissues form bubbles as they ascend and pressure decreases. It can also affect pilots flying at high altitudes in unpressurized cabins. Joint pain is a common symptom because it is where these nitrogen bubbles are most likely to form and accumulate, causing significant discomfort. In addition to joint pain, other symptoms of DCS can include rashes, dizziness, and in severe cases, paralysis and death.
To avoid decompression sickness, divers are advised to ascend slowly from deep dives, often making decompression stops to allow the gases to safely diffuse out of the body. When DCS does occur, treatment typically involves hyperbaric oxygen therapy, where the patient is placed in a pressurized chamber to facilitate the safe dissolution of nitrogen bubbles.
Advanced research, like the work of barophysiologist Ingrid Eftedal, has shown that white blood cells undergo chemical and genetic changes due to DCS, which may help create biomarker tests for better managing the condition.