External Factors
These are the cases in which
the disturbance has been caused from outside and which are not connected
to the diver directly. Both free and scuba divers might enmesh in fishermen’s
nets or plants under water, get stuck in narrow openings under stones or
in caves. Moreover, the ocean hides dangerous grenades, mines and bombs
that have once been dropped into the water. That is why divers must not
touch any object which seems suspicious or unknown. Besides, there are
many sharp objects under water such as mussels and stones which might cause
serious damage. Stepping on wet stones and rocks, overgrown with algae,
is risky in terms of slipping or cutting. |
|
 Carelessness
or lack of knowledge about fish might result in pricking on poisonous fish.
Symptoms are different and sometimes the injuries lead to death. The most
common symptoms are fever and fatigue. The pricked place should be tied
tightly and made a cold compress to avoid the spreading of poison throughout
the whole body. Rare situations, from which there might be no exit but
death, are meeting dangerous creatures such as sharks. Everyone hopes that
if he ever meets a shark, it will be the size of the one above.
 Internal
Factors
In this case, pathology
depends wholly on the diver and results from reasons connected directly
with his or her body. It includes barotrauma of the
ears and sinuses, eardrum ruptures
and muscle cramps.
Muscle cramps are lasting
convulsions of a group of muscles. They occur when a muscle is tired and
not well-warmed up or when the movement is too jerky. The most common places
of cramps are the muscles of the thigh and calf. Muscle cramps might be
panicky for inexperienced divers. To avoid cramps, divers should not do
intensive exercises before their muscles are warmed up. If these occur,
however, here are two exercises to do away with cramps:
When there is a cramp in
the foot, calf, or the back part of the thigh, grab the fin or your toes
with your hands, straighten the knee and bend the foot to the front part
of the leg below the knee.
When there is a cramp in
the frontal muscle of the thigh, grab the ankle, pull it up to the back
until the heel touches the back of the thigh. |
