Nitrogen Narcosis at shallow depths
I am a scuba instructor at a resort that offers introductory scuba experiences. A student who made one dive to 20 feet for less than 20 minutes used a half tank of air and later told me that he started to feel awkward as if he were stoned. Was he experiencing nitrogen narcosis?
At a depth of 20 feet the partial pressure of nitrogen is not elevated to the levels that cause
nitrogen narcosis, the effects of which usually appear at a depth of at least 100 feet (33 meters) but sometimes can occur in somewhat shallower water.
A variety of things — such as dive gear, underlying medical conditions, psychological conditions, or drugs and medications — could cause your student’s experience, but we need more details to provide a proper explanation. His gas consumption may indicate hyperventilation occurred during the dive. Without further speculation, the student will need a dive medical exam, and he should discuss this incident with a dive medical physician if he wishes to pursue training. If the
physician finds no psychological or medical contraindications, instructors should initially conduct his dive training slowly and with close observation to ensure no recurrence.
— Robert Soncini, NR-P, DMT
At a depth of 20 feet the partial pressure of nitrogen is not elevated to the levels that cause
nitrogen narcosis, the effects of which usually appear at a depth of at least 100 feet (33 meters) but sometimes can occur in somewhat shallower water.
A variety of things — such as dive gear, underlying medical conditions, psychological conditions, or drugs and medications — could cause your student’s experience, but we need more details to provide a proper explanation. His gas consumption may indicate hyperventilation occurred during the dive. Without further speculation, the student will need a dive medical exam, and he should discuss this incident with a dive medical physician if he wishes to pursue training. If the
physician finds no psychological or medical contraindications, instructors should initially conduct his dive training slowly and with close observation to ensure no recurrence.
— Robert Soncini, NR-P, DMT
Posted in Alert Diver Fall Editions, Alert Diver Winter Editions, Dive Safety FAQ
Posted in Dive Training, Nitrogen Narcosis, Psycological, Gas consumption
Posted in Dive Training, Nitrogen Narcosis, Psycological, Gas consumption
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