What is decompression sickness in freediving. How does it differ from scuba diving. What are the main causes of decompression sickness in freedivers. What symptoms should freedivers watch out for. How can freedivers prevent decompression sickness effectively.

Understanding Decompression Sickness in Freediving

Decompression sickness, commonly known as “the bends,” is a condition typically associated with scuba diving. However, it’s crucial to understand that freedivers and spearfishers are also at risk. This article delves into the intricacies of decompression sickness in freediving, exploring its causes, symptoms, and prevention strategies.

Decompression sickness occurs when nitrogen bubbles form in the body’s tissues and bloodstream due to rapid changes in pressure during ascent. These bubbles can cause various symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to severe, life-threatening conditions.

Can freedivers get decompression sickness?

Yes, freedivers can indeed suffer from decompression sickness. While it’s less common than in scuba diving, the risk increases with deeper dives, longer bottom times, and multiple repetitive dives. Even shallow snorkeling, when done excessively without proper surface intervals, can potentially lead to decompression sickness.

The Science Behind Decompression Sickness

To understand decompression sickness, we need to grasp the basics of gas behavior under pressure. As a freediver descends, the increased pressure causes more nitrogen to dissolve in the body’s tissues. During ascent, if the pressure decrease is too rapid, this dissolved nitrogen can form bubbles, leading to decompression sickness.

How does nitrogen affect the body during a dive?

During a dive, nitrogen dissolves into the body’s tissues under pressure. As the diver ascends, the pressure decreases, allowing the nitrogen to come out of solution. If this process happens too quickly, bubbles can form in tissues and blood vessels, potentially causing blockages and various symptoms associated with decompression sickness.

Risk Factors for Decompression Sickness in Freediving

Several factors can increase a freediver’s susceptibility to decompression sickness:

• Insufficient surface intervals between dives
• Extended bottom times, especially at depths greater than 30 meters
• Multiple deep dives (beyond 55 meters) in a short period
• Dehydration
• Lack of sleep
• Overheating
• Genetic predisposition
• Muscle fatigue

Why are proper surface intervals crucial in preventing decompression sickness?

Adequate surface intervals allow the body to safely eliminate excess nitrogen absorbed during the dive. Without sufficient time between dives, nitrogen can accumulate in tissues, increasing the risk of bubble formation during subsequent ascents.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Decompression Sickness

Early recognition of decompression sickness symptoms is vital for prompt treatment. Symptoms can vary widely but may include:

• Localized deep pain, ranging from mild to severe
• Itching or skin rashes
• Tingling or numbness
• Confusion or memory loss
• Visual disturbances
• Weakness or paralysis in the legs
• Difficulty urinating
• Headache and fatigue
• Dizziness, vertigo, or nausea
• Breathing difficulties

When should a freediver seek medical attention for suspected decompression sickness?

A freediver should seek immediate medical attention if they experience any symptoms of decompression sickness, especially within 24 hours after diving. Even mild symptoms should not be ignored, as they can potentially worsen if left untreated.

Prevention Strategies for Decompression Sickness in Freediving

Preventing decompression sickness is crucial for safe freediving practices. Here are some effective strategies:

1. Maintain proper surface intervals between dives
2. Limit the number and depth of dives per day
3. Stay well-hydrated
4. Get adequate sleep before diving sessions
5. Avoid overexertion and muscle fatigue
6. Ascend slowly and steadily
7. Use dive computers or tables designed for freediving

How can freedivers calculate safe surface intervals?

For dives shallower than 30 meters, freedivers should rest at the surface for at least three times their dive time. For dives between 30 and 50 meters, the surface interval should be at least four times the dive time. For example, if a dive to 25 meters lasted 2 minutes, the diver should rest for at least 6 minutes before the next dive.

The Role of Hydration in Decompression Sickness Prevention

Proper hydration plays a crucial role in preventing decompression sickness. When adequately hydrated, the body can more efficiently eliminate excess nitrogen. Dehydration, on the other hand, can impair circulation and gas exchange, potentially increasing the risk of bubble formation.

How much water should freedivers consume before and during diving sessions?

While individual needs may vary, freedivers should aim to drink at least 2-3 liters of water in the 24 hours leading up to a dive session. During diving, it’s advisable to keep a water bottle at the buoy and drink small amounts regularly between dives to maintain hydration levels.

The Impact of Sleep on Decompression Risk

Adequate sleep is often overlooked in discussions about decompression sickness prevention. However, fatigue and sleep deprivation can significantly increase a freediver’s susceptibility to decompression sickness. Lack of sleep can affect circulation, gas exchange, and the body’s ability to eliminate nitrogen effectively.

How does sleep deprivation affect a freediver’s risk of decompression sickness?

Sleep deprivation can impair judgment, slow reaction times, and reduce the body’s ability to handle physical stress. These factors can lead to poor decision-making underwater, longer bottom times, and faster ascents – all of which increase the risk of decompression sickness. Additionally, fatigue can affect the body’s ability to efficiently eliminate nitrogen, further elevating the risk.

Decompression Sickness in Shallow Water Activities

While decompression sickness is more commonly associated with deep diving, it’s important to note that even shallow water activities can potentially lead to this condition under certain circumstances. Prolonged periods of repetitive diving, even at shallow depths, can cause nitrogen to accumulate in the body’s tissues.

Can snorkelers get decompression sickness?

While rare, snorkelers can potentially develop decompression sickness if they engage in prolonged, repetitive breath-hold dives with minimal surface intervals. This is more likely to occur during activities like spearfishing, where divers may make numerous dives over several hours. However, casual snorkeling at shallow depths (around 5 meters) is unlikely to cause decompression sickness due to the limited pressure changes involved.

To minimize risk during shallow water activities, snorkelers and spearfishers should:

• Take regular breaks at the surface
• Avoid excessive repetitive diving
• Stay well-hydrated
• Be aware of their physical limits
• Ascend slowly from each dive

Advanced Freediving and Decompression Risk Management

As freedivers progress to deeper depths and longer bottom times, managing decompression risk becomes increasingly crucial. Advanced freedivers often incorporate specific techniques and tools to mitigate the risk of decompression sickness.

What strategies do advanced freedivers use to manage decompression risk?

Advanced freedivers often employ the following strategies:

1. Using freediving-specific dive computers to track dive profiles and calculate safe surface intervals
2. Implementing a gradual warm-up routine, starting with shallower dives before progressing to deeper ones
3. Utilizing safety divers or surface support to monitor dive times and enforce proper surface intervals
4. Practicing controlled, slow ascents, especially in the last 10-15 meters of the dive
5. Limiting the number of deep dives per day and incorporating longer surface intervals between deep dives
6. Using oxygen-enriched air (Nitrox) for breathing during surface intervals to accelerate nitrogen elimination (under proper supervision and training)

It’s important to note that these advanced techniques should only be implemented under proper training and guidance from experienced instructors.

Emergency Response and Treatment for Decompression Sickness

Despite best prevention efforts, decompression sickness can still occur. Knowing how to respond in such situations can be life-saving. The primary treatment for decompression sickness is recompression therapy in a hyperbaric chamber, but immediate first aid can significantly improve outcomes.

What immediate actions should be taken if a freediver exhibits symptoms of decompression sickness?

If a freediver shows signs of decompression sickness, follow these steps:

1. Cease all diving activities immediately
2. Provide 100% oxygen if available
3. Keep the affected diver lying flat and still
4. Encourage the diver to drink water to stay hydrated
5. Contact emergency services or the nearest decompression chamber facility
6. Monitor the diver’s vital signs and be prepared to perform CPR if necessary
7. Collect and preserve all diving equipment for later analysis

Remember, even if symptoms appear to improve with first aid, professional medical evaluation is still crucial, as symptoms can sometimes resurface or worsen later.

The Future of Decompression Research in Freediving

As freediving continues to grow in popularity and divers push the limits of human physiology, research into decompression sickness specific to freediving is becoming increasingly important. Current understanding of decompression in freediving is largely based on adaptations of scuba diving models, but the unique physiology of breath-hold diving may require different approaches.

What are the current frontiers in freediving decompression research?

Current and future research in freediving decompression is focusing on several key areas:

• Developing freediving-specific decompression models that account for the unique gas dynamics of breath-hold diving
• Investigating the role of the mammalian dive reflex in nitrogen uptake and elimination during freediving
• Exploring the potential benefits and risks of pre-breathing techniques, such as hyperventilation or pure oxygen breathing, on decompression risk
• Studying the long-term effects of repetitive deep freediving on divers’ health
• Investigating genetic factors that may predispose some individuals to higher decompression risk
• Developing more accurate methods for measuring actual tissue nitrogen levels in freedivers

As this research progresses, it’s likely that our understanding of decompression risk in freediving will evolve, potentially leading to more refined prevention strategies and safety guidelines for the sport.

Can you get decompression sickness (Bends) while freediving? 

Alexander Nilsson • Jul 27, 2020

An article about why and how decompression sickness (DCS) manifests, and how to reduce the risk of getting it in the first place.

You have probably heard about scuba divers getting “divers disease” or decompression sickness, also called “bends”.
In scuba diving you learn that you shouldn’t swim up faster than the bubbles you exhale. And you should also do a decompression stop before you reach the surface.

In freediving and spearfishing however, you rarely hear about it. But the truth is that it happens more than you think.

What is decompression sickness? This is what happens in the body when you get decompression sickness

So what happens is that, nitrogen bubbles build up in the body and are not properly dissolved before resurfacing.
The nitrogen bubbles in your system might then get stuck and block tiny blood vessels. This can lead to heart attacks, strokes, ruptured blood vessels in the lungs and joint pain.

Here below is a link to a story of one of my freediving friend who recently got decemopression sickness while in a competition in Indonesia.

https://www.dansa.org/blog/2020/03/27/getting-decompression-sickness-while-freediving#:~:text=Unlike%20when%20breathing%20compressed%20gas,dives%20over%20a%20short%20time.

What can cause decompression sickness?

1. Not enough surface interval
2. Too long time at depth
3. Multiple deep dives (+55m)

What makes you more susceptible to decompression sickness?

1. Dehydration
2. Lack of sleep
3. Being overheated
4. Genetically factors
5. Muscle fatigue

So, how do we avoid getting decompression in the first place?

Have sufficient time on the surface in-between dives

Most importantly, we want to make sure that we’re taking sufficient enough surface interval in between dives. Meaning, when we’re diving to less than 30 meters, we want to rest at the surface for at least three times your dive time.

So, let’s say that your dive to 30 meters took 2 minutes, then you need to wait for at least 6 minutes before you dive again. If you would be diving between 30 and 50 meters, then you need to multiply your dive time with *4.
Don’t dive more than one time a day deeper than 50 meters.

Drink enough water



Be sure that you are well hydrated when spending time in the water, especially when in a warm climate.
Bring a water bottle to the buoy and drink some while on the surface.

Sleep at least 7 hours the night before freediving

We have seen that there is an increased risk of getting decompression sickness when tired and exhausted, so make sure to have a good nights sleep before going out diving.

So, what are the symptoms of decompression illness?

• Localized deep pain, ranging from mild to excruciating. Sometimes a dull ache, but rarely a sharp pain.
• Active and passive motion of the joint aggravates the pain.
• The pain may be reduced by bending the joint to find a more comfortable position.

• Itching, usually around the ears, face, neck, arms, and upper torso
• Sensation of tiny insects crawling over the skin
• Mottled or marbled skin usually around the shoulders, upper chest and abdomen, with itching
• Swelling of the skin, accompanied by tiny scar-like skin depressions

• Altered sensation, tingling or numbness, increased sensitivity.
• Confusion or memory loss
• Visual abnormalities
• Unexplained mood or behaviour changes
• Unconsciousness

• Ascending weakness or paralysis in the legs
• Problem urinating
• Girdling (also referred to as girdle, banding, or tightening feeling) around the abdominal region and/or chest

• Headache
• Unexplained fatigue
• Generalised malaise, poorly localised aches

• Loss of balance
• Dizziness, vertigo, nausea , vomiting
• Hearing loss

• Dry persistent cough
• Burning chest pain under the sternum, aggravated by breathing
• Shortness of breath

Can you get decompression sickness from just shallow snorkeling?

The short answer is Yes, although you would have to do a serious amount of shallow dives with almost no surface interval during many hours to risk that. I have heard stories from some of my spearfishing friends that have gotten the bends from a day trip of spearfishing for 8 hours diving to deph of maximum 20 meters. The reason why they got decompression at that time was probably because they didn’t spend enough time on the surface between the dives.
If you on the other hand would be snorkeling around at the reef of say 5 meters, it would be most unlikely to run the risk of decompression sickness, Just due to the sheer volume of diving one would have to do.

The most important thing you can do to mitigate the risk of getting decompression sickness

If there is one thing that you should remember from this article, then that is to spend sufficient time on the surface in-between dives. Be it if you dive to 10 meters, or to 50 meters. Always spend at least 3 times the dive time on the surface between the dives (if the dive is shallower than 30 meters).

Freediving is one of the safest activity one can do, if practiced according to the safety standards. And part of the safety standards should be to consider the risk of decompression sickness.

I hope that this article have cleared up some questions, and hopefully will let you safely enjoy the underwater world!

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At what depth can you get decompression sickness? (Plus the risk factors)

By Russell BowyerPosted in Learn to Scuba Dive, Scuba Diving Tips & SafetyTagged At what depth can you get decompression sickness?No Comments on At What Depth Can You Get Decompression Sickness?

How deep can you dive before you have to decompress?

The depth at which you can get decompression sickness or the bends is more likely deeper than a dive to 5-6 metres (16-20 feet). But having said that, always take the same safety precautions no matter what the depth of your dive.

So at what depth can you get decompression sickness? How deep you dive before you can get decompression sickness is 6 metres (20 feet) or more. But factors such as the diver’s bodily composition (i.e. if they are obese) their fitness level, any medical conditions such as a hole in the heart, hydration, hard exercise on the dive and water temperature will affect this.

The best way to do more diving, but not necessarily decompression diving, is to book yourself on a scuba diving liveaboard. You can check the latest and best deals on liveaboards using the following window:

At what depth can you get decompression sickness in more detail?

In my opening sentience I use 6 metres (20 feet) as the cut-off for what depth you can get decompression sickness.

But having said that, decompression sickness (DCS) is such a random event. Almost any dive profile can result in DCS. Just because you’re diving at a shallow depth, don’t let this fool you into thinking you can’t get decompression sickness.

“Since DCI is a random event, almost any dive profile can result in DCI, no matter how safe it seems.  The reason is that the risk factors, both known and unknown, can influence the probability of DCI in myriad ways. Because of this, evaluation of a diver for possible decompression illness must be made on a case-by-case basis by evaluating the diver’s signs and symptoms and not just based on the dive profile.”

Divers Alert Network – Decompression Illness: What Is It and What Is The Treatment?

When I was a member of a BSCA club in Saffron Walden in the UK, a club member who had a Ventricular Septal Defect or a hole in the heart managed to get decompression sickness symptoms diving in just 10 metres (30 feet) of water.

The symptoms she suffered were mild and in fact was a skin bend. However, this proves that you can even get decompression sickness on shallow dives too.

More Reading: What are the signs and symptoms of decompression sickness?

Diver safety at all times when it comes to depth and decompression sickness

You are therefore advised to take the usual precautions, no matter what the depth and length of your dive.

Dive to the appropriate dive tables or dive using your dive computer. Always ascend slowly, no matter whether you’re diving to 10 metres (30 feet) or to 40 metres (131 feet).

The depth you get decompression sickness is affected by many factors

There are many risk factors associated with decompression sickness. Some are known, whereas others are unknown.

Because of this, the depth of dive at which the risk of getting decompression sickness must be evaluated on a diver by diver basis. This means that a diver’s signs and symptoms of DCS may not just be based on the dive profile and depth of dive alone.

Whilst it’s known that a rapid ascent from a dive is closely linked to decompression sickness, as well as missing decompression stops, there are other factors at play too.

These other factors include the following:

• Obesity and fitness of the diver concerned.
• Dehydration or how hydrated the diver is before the dive.
• Hard exercise immediately after surfacing from a dive.
• Hard exercise at depth.
• Pulmonary disease, including Ventricular Septal Defect or a hole in the heart.
• The length of the dive.
• How cold the water is.

More Reading: 12 Decompression Sickness Risk Factors In Scuba Diving and How to Avoid Them

Decompression stops on dives

The shallower the dive, the less there’s going to be the chance of needing to carry out a decompression stop. On a dive to 10 metres (30 feet), you’re more likely to run out of air well before you need to carryout a decompression stop.

However, the deeper the dive, the more chance of running out of no decompression stop time, as the need to do decompression stops increases with depth.

A diver at 6 metres (20 feet) may be able to dive for many hours without needing to do decompression stops. But in comparison, a diver at 40 metres (130 feet), has around 12 minutes on no decompression stop time according to the PADI dive tables.

The risk of decompression sickness increases with depth and length of dive. So when you’re planning a deeper dive to more than 10 metres (30 feet), please bear this in mind.

But as a further safety precaution, always carry out a safety stop at between 5-6 metres (16-20 feet) at then end of every dive.

More Reading: How Deep Can You Dive Without Decompression (No Decompression Stop Limits)

I hope you enjoyed this article about at what depth can you get decompression sickness

I’d love to hear from you. Tell us about your adventures of diving and snorkeling, in the comments below. Please also share your photos. Either from your underwater cameras or videos from your waterproof go-pro’s!

If this article hasn’t answered all of your questions. If you have more questions either about snorkeling or scuba diving (or specifically on what at what depth can you get decompression sickness), please comment below with your questions.

There will also be many more articles about scuba and scuba diving safety tips (and on snorkeling too) for you to read and learn about this fabulous sport.

Have fun and be safe!

More Reading: Emergency Decompression Stop vs Safety Stop (What’s The Difference?)

Russell Bowyer

Article written by Russell Bowyer who has been a scuba diver since diving on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in 1989. After his first dive he trained as a BSAC diver in the UK. He attained his Diver Leader certification with BSAC. He then went on to become a scuba diving instructor, teaching others how to dive and was voted as Diving Officer and Treasurer for the Saffron Walden BSAC club too. Russell has dived all over the world, including the UK, on liveaboards in the Red Sea, the Caribbean, South Africa and the USA. Russell is experienced in all dive types, including drift diving, deep dives that involved decompression stops and recreational dives too.

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Computers and diving equipment

I have a couple of marvelous hobbies – Black Jack and whores! I was joking (good as always).
Watches (who would have thought) and diving. Actually, both of them will be discussed. If you type “diving watches” on these Internets, then Google will carefully give out a lot of links to articles from the “TOP-10” category, where, basically, there will be laudatory odes to LUHARI brands (the price of which comparable to a complete set of top diving equipment + underwater tug + annual supply of pasties). With all due respect to brands such as AP, Rolex, Omega, Panerai, etc., but who the hell would convince me to go diving with a device for over $10,000 on my wrist. With such a watch, you can go down to the pool at a 5 * hotel or go to the beach and show your female comrades who the daddy and the Alpha male are, but certainly not to assert themselves in front of the fish. In most cases, descriptions of models are listed criteria such as unidirectional bezel, screw-down crown, bright lume, etc. By and large, this is the minimum that is required for ISO 64 25 certification (as an example, Seiko Prospex photo No. 1 has all of the above and for more than sane money). This is akin to the situation if, when comparing sports cars, the main emphasis was on the fact that this very car has a steering wheel and wheels. Moreover, most models will have some pipemetry in terms of water resistance. For some samples, this figure reaches over 1000m. Nishtyak, of course, what really – a damn necessary thing in the household. However, not everything is as sad as it might seem. Some brands offer really interesting (in terms of practical application) models.
For example, Citizen Promaster Marine (photo #2). This is where the magic begins: an automatic water sensor, a depth sensor up to 70m with a maximum dive memory, a decompression reminder (safety stop) and this is without taking into account the power from the solar battery, the power reserve indicator and the multi-colored lume on the time and depth hands. Oh yes! Price! Unlike more famous (and useless from a practical point of view) brands, Promaster-s can boast of such a pleasant price that tears of Jewish happiness involuntarily appear. And if you still know the fishing spots (and I’m kind and not greedy and I’ll tell you everything as if in spirit. You won’t even have to beat me), then you can burst into tears from the kosher price, embracing yourself. Hint: the coordinates of the fishing spot can be seen in the lower left corner of photo #3
Or here is another interesting example – a watch from Chris Benz (photo 3) . In addition to the goodies that Citizen has, they added a thermometer, an alarm for too fast ascent and a second time zone (the most for traveling) and, most importantly, Shark protection (a watch, not a diver. If you suddenly get eaten by a shark, then the clock will not suffer.A trifle, but nice). Unfortunately, this brand is not yet officially represented in Russia and there are no live reviews in RuNet. But firstly, these are Germans, and they are noble pedants. Secondly, the brand is collaborating with SSI – serious comrades, and serious comrades should be reckless to indicate their name on a frankly empty piece. The price for this monster is about 700 euros. The only negative that I see in them for myself is the lack of an official representation and, as a result, a certified service. For, if the battery dies (and it will certainly die), then it is categorically not recommended to get into this device with your own, undoubtedly straight hands. IMHO: the presence of a solar battery in this watch would add +10 points to charisma.
These devices I would recommend as duplicating what will be discussed further …
Now about the main thing. No matter how functional and protected the watch is, serious pinniped guys, for the most part, prefer to dive with special computers – decompression meters. What is noteworthy is that despite their exclusively diving orientation, these devices often cost several times cheaper than “divers” from A-watch brands (and indeed watches, as such). I will not load anyone with special terminology, I will simply say that even an ordinary computer, costing about $300, is MUCH more functional and useful than ANY representative of high watchmaking art. And if we take the device that adorns the wrist of my teacher and mentor @blacksea_hunter, then not just magic begins here, but so powerful witchcraft that Volant de Mort would sob with envy like a schoolgirl when watching Hachiko. Meet the #GarminDescentMK1. This is no longer just a decompressometer. This is a whole set of devices in the wristwatch form factor: here you have a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a gps navigator and, of course, a mega-functional diving computer.