Question

After a week of scuba diving in the Bahamas, Mary Ann boards an airplane. During her flight home she develops aching joints, nausea and dyspnea, which disappear on landing. During the flight, the cabin pressure was equivalent to an altitude of 8000 feet. explain her problems. A) Decompression sickness

B) Hypoxia due to reduced cabin pressure
C) Sunburn from diving
D) Psychological stress from flying

Answer 1

Mary Ann is likely suffering from Decompression Sickness ('the bends'), a condition caused by rapid changes in pressure that result in dissolved gases forming bubbles in the bloodstream.

Step-by-step explanation:

The symptoms experienced by Mary Ann during her flight home after scuba diving suggest she is suffering from Decompression Sickness (DCS), commonly known as "the bends." This condition arises when dissolved gases, primarily nitrogen, in the diver's blood form bubbles due to a rapid decrease in pressure as the diver ascends to the surface. The cabin pressure equivalent to an altitude of 8000 feet in an airplane can exacerbate this condition if a proper decompression protocol has not been followed.

DCS occurs because, while underwater at depth, the pressure causes gases to dissolve in the diver's bloodstream at a higher concentration per Henry's law. When ascending too quickly, these dissolved gases become less soluble and form bubbles within the body, leading to symptoms, including aching joints, nausea, and dyspnea (difficulty breathing). The bends can be prevented by ascending slowly or making decompression stops. Treatment usually involves hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a decompression chamber.