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Commercial Divers' Subjective Evaluation of Saturation
Jean Pierre Imbert1, Costantino Balestra2,3, Fatima Zohra Kiboub4,5
1Divetech, Biot, France.
Frontiers in Psychology
|January 30, 2019
Summary
Saturation divers experience headaches and fatigue due to changes in oxygen levels during saturation and decompression. These symptoms are common, typically lasting 1-10 days, and are reversible post-dive.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Occupational Health
- Diving Medicine
Background:
- Commercial saturation diving requires prolonged exposure to elevated partial pressure of oxygen (ppO2).
- Divers undergo lengthy compression and decompression phases, necessitating physiological acclimatization.
- Post-dive recovery involves re-acclimatizing to normal atmospheric pressure and air breathing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the subjective experiences of saturation divers regarding decompression headaches and fatigue.
- To determine the duration and frequency of post-saturation symptoms.
- To assess the time required for divers to return to their pre-saturation state.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 51 saturation divers using questionnaires and individual interviews.
- Collected data on decompression-related headaches and fatigue.
- Assessed the recovery period following saturation dives.
Main Results:
- 44% of respondents reported headaches, occurring near or after surfacing.
- 71% experienced post-saturation fatigue, described as systematic by 82%.
- Recovery typically took 1 to 10 days.
Conclusions:
- Observed headaches and fatigue are consistent with physiological acclimatization to ppO2 changes during saturation and decompression.
- These symptoms appear to be reversible.
- Findings highlight the physiological impact of saturation diving on divers' well-being.