Decompression Sickness

Decompression Sickness services offered in Aledo, TX

If you scuba dive regularly, you may be at increased risk for decompression sickness. At Clover Oxygen Hyperbarics and Wound Center, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is available in the office for adults and adolescents aged 12 and over. Leon Tio, DO, and Angela Moccia, PA, create a care plan using an advanced oxygen chamber to ease symptoms of decompression sickness and prevent additional complications. Call the Aledo, Texas, office today to schedule an evaluation for decompression sickness symptoms. You can also book an appointment for yourself or your child online.

What is decompression sickness?

Decompression sickness, sometimes called the bends, is a condition that develops when there’s a rapid decrease in the air pressure around you, such as when flying in an unpressurized cabin. You can also experience decompression sickness in water when scuba diving.

When you use compressed air during a dive, nitrogen dissolves in your blood and remains there throughout your dive. As you return to the surface, the water pressure around you decreases.

Too fast of a transition to the surface means that nitrogen doesn’t have enough time to leave your blood. This allows bubbles to form in your blood or tissues, which leads to decompression sickness and related symptoms.

Clover Oxygen Hyperbarics and Wound Center offers customized care plans for adults and adolescents aged 12 and up who experience decompression sickness symptoms. The team uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy to reverse pressure changes in the body and change nitrogen back into a liquid form so your body can clear it more efficiently.

When should I seek medical attention for decompression sickness?

While anyone can develop decompression sickness while in water or at high altitudes, your risk factors for the condition increase if you have heart defects, lung disease, or a high percentage of body fat.

Schedule an evaluation at Clover Oxygen Hyperbarics and Wound Center for decompression sickness symptoms like:

Joint pain
Dizziness
Headache
Extreme fatigue
Arm or leg weakness
Difficulty thinking clearly

The team evaluates your symptoms and medical history to determine your candidacy for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Ideally, treatment should start right away to prevent additional complications.

How does hyperbaric oxygen therapy treat decompression sickness?

The hyperbaric oxygen therapy available at Clover Oxygen Hyperbarics and Wound Center supplies your body with 100% oxygen.

Treatment reverses the pressure changes in the body that contribute to the formation of bubbles in the blood and tissues. While you lie in the hyperbaric chamber, the supplemental oxygen helps nitrogen change back into a liquid so your body can clear it within a few hours.

Often, people with decompression sickness feel better after their initial treatment. The team can discuss your options for follow-up sessions based on the severity of your condition.

Call Clover Oxygen Hyperbarics and Wound Center today to schedule a consultation for decompression sickness or book an appointment online.