Diving and Snorkelling
Diving into the blue to discover another world is paradise for new and experienced divers. Many share a passion for exploring the reefs, wrecks and unique underwater locations across the world.
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It is important to ensure that you are medically fit and understand that the underwater environment can have the following impacts on the body:
- physical (from changes in pressure, temperature, noise and light)
- physiological (from the effects of pressure, decompression illness, barotrauma, gas toxicity, drowning and overall medical fitness)
- psychological (dependent on an individual’s experience, training, competence and behaviour)
- environmental (through marine animal encounters, vessel movements, sense of entrapment, currents or visibility).
A pre-existing medical condition such as a cardiac condition, respiratory illness or injury, or conditions that may result in a loss of consciousness (e.g., epilepsy or diabetes) can lead to serious incidents when snorkelling or diving. Understanding your medical fitness when taking part in diving or snorkelling activities will ensure you enjoy a successful dive or snorkel.
If you are planning to dive, you must notify your travel insurer as it may affect the cost of your policy.
Medical requirements for recreational diving
Resort or introductory diving
An introductory dive is usually offered to those wishing to try a dive for the first time without the expense of becoming certified. It’s a great way to ensure diving is an activity you would like to pursue. Introductory divers must complete a medical declaration provided by their instructor. The declaration will be used to assess if you are reasonably fit to dive. If a medical condition is acknowledged on the declaration, further medical advice will need to be sought.
Entry-level or recreational diving certificate
If you are enrolling in a ‘learn to dive’ course to obtain an entry-level recreational diving certificate, you will be required to complete a self-assessed medical declaration form prior to commencing the course. Apart from declaring any medical issues, potential divers must also advise if they:
- are over 45
- have a body mass index (BMI) over 30
- have a waist circumference greater than 102 cm for males and 88 cm for females.
If any of these conditions apply or there are any positive answers to medical questions, participants will be required to provide a dive medical certificate performed by a doctor with experience in dive medicals to certify that they are medically fit to dive. Dive training can be accessed from the age of 12 but not all diving doctors perform medicals for children.
Medical requirements for commercial diving
A commercial diver must hold a current certificate of medical fitness no greater than 12 months old, issued by a qualified medical practitioner with training and experience in providing underwater medicine for commercial dive medicals. The certificate must be kept for 12 months after the diving work is completed.
Diving injuries and illnesses to avoid
It’s important to eliminate or minimise risk as much as possible when diving. There are some illnesses that automatically prevent diving as an activity and it’s important to seek medical advice. The non-respirable environment can impact the body, causing problems such as the following:
Decompression illness
Decompression illness occurs when an excessive amount of nitrogen in the body starts to form bubbles in blood vessels and tissues as the diver ascends. There is a higher risk if longer amounts of time are spent underwater, the dive is at depth, or if the ascent at the end of the dive is too fast. The bubbles can obstruct blood flow to vital organs or cause serious tissue damage. If you suspect you have decompression illness, immediate hyperbaric oxygen therapy would be required.
Symptoms include:
- rash
- mental dullness
- weakness
- headache
- dizziness and nausea
- pins and needles
- numbness
- fatigue
- pains in joints and muscles.
Nitrogen narcosis
Nitrogen narcosis acts like a drug, affecting individuals differently, and is caused by breathing nitrogen under pressure, usually at depths greater than 30 metres. Recreational divers are usually restricted to a depth of 30 metres. Nitrogen narcosis can affect a diver’s reasoning, memory, judgement, coordination and concentration. In some cases, it can cause panic or anxiety or even lead to overconfidence in a diver, suppressing natural or normal survival instincts.
If a diver exhibits signs of nitrogen narcosis, a safe ascent will help to mitigate the symptoms. The following factors may increase the effects of nitrogen narcosis: poor visibility, excess carbon dioxide, fatigue or heavy work, anxiety or inexperience, the diver feeling cold, alcohol or the use of drugs.
Contaminated air
Carbon monoxide or oil contaminants in the air supply can be disastrous for divers. Contaminated air causes a range of injuries and illnesses, including loss of consciousness, convulsions and even death. Air must contain only oxygen and nitrogen in the right proportions.
Hypoxic blackout
Often occurring with snorkelers who hold their breath for extended periods of time, oxygen levels drop below a critical level causing hypoxia and a sudden loss of consciousness followed by a ‘blackout’. Snorkelers, especially those experiencing snorkelling for the first time, should be advised about Hypoxic Blackouts to avoid the risk.
Panic
A common contributor of diving and snorkelling deaths, panic can reduce a person’s capacity to think rationally and result in diving accidents. Equipment problems, personal factors such as physical unfitness or medical related issues, inadequate training or environmental problems can cause a diver or snorkeler to panic. Adequate and effective training prior to diving or snorkelling can help minimise this issue.
Medical conditions
Existing medical conditions such as cardiac conditions, respiratory illnesses or conditions that can lead to a loss of consciousness such as epilepsy or diabetes, may become worse when diving or snorkelling. Many diving and snorkelling incidents are caused by existing medical conditions and participants need to know the risks and be adequately trained before taking part.
Drowning
Whenever a person becomes incapacitated in the water, drowning may result. This could be from fatigue, through illness or injury, or from panic. It’s important to ensure you are medically fit to take part in a dive or snorkel, ensure you have the right equipment and receive adequate training and supervision or possess the experience needed to participate.
Barotrauma
Caused by the pressure differences that change the volume in air spaces within the body, Barotrauma can cause damage to wherever air pockets are held in the body such as the ears, lungs, sinuses or face-mask cavity. External pressure may become greater than the pressure within the body and if a diver doesn’t equalise their ears on descent or ascent they can perforate their eardrum as a result.
When a diver ascends, the external pressure may become less than the pressure found within the body’s air spaces. For example, if a diver doesn’t exhale on ascent or makes a rapid ascent without exhaling properly to release pressure, their lungs may expand with gas causing lung tissue to be overstretched or tear. Sometimes gas may escape into the bloodstream and could potentially result in a stroke, neurological conditions or even death.
Coral cut treatment
Coral cuts are common among surfers, divers and snorkellers. The treatment for coral cuts is the same as for normal wounds, except that invisible particles of coral and marine slime often contaminate the wound. It is important to clean and treat even small coral cuts by:
- flushing them with clean water (not seawater) for five minutes
- gently scrubbing the wound with sterile gauze or a new soft toothbrush to remove
- any contaminants
- applying antiseptic powder, cream or iodine
- starting a course of oral antibiotics at the first signs of infection
- seeking medical advice.
Do not be tempted to ignore minor wounds. In the tropics, minor cuts and scratches can easily become infected if not treated properly, and tropical ulcers can be hard to cure.
- Always wash your hands with soap and water before touching wounds, and wear disposable gloves.
- Flush wounds thoroughly with clean water or a saline solution. (To make a saline solution, add one teaspoon of salt to one cup of clean water.)
- If clean water is unavailable, use an antiseptic cleansing tissue and wipe away from the wound to avoid further contamination.
- After cleaning, use clean gauze to apply a thin layer of iodine.
- Cover the wound using a plaster or non-adhesive dressing.
- Leave the dressing for three days, then remove and apply a clean one.
Pain, swelling, redness or a discharge from the wound is an indication it is infected and may need to be treated with antibiotics. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
The best way to ensure you are ready for the challenge?
Visit your doctor to make sure you are medically fit to enjoy snorkelling or diving. Many of our doctors are registered as South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society (SPUMS) members and are qualified to perform your assessment. Contact us to find out where you can find an experienced dive doctor by calling 1300 658 844.
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