Can be associated with nausea and vomiting and occasionally tinnitus. Spinal Cord - Virtually confined to compressed air diving. Has been reported also from helium diving more than 6 hours after surfacing. Described as a cottony feeling of the feet, followed by 'pins and needles' and progresses within an hour to a true paraplegia or less commonly a quadriplegia with respiration by phrenic nerve only. Scrotal sensation and anal sphincter activity may be reduced.
Impotence is a common residua after treatment.
This is a complication of serious decompression sickness. Any condition arising within 36 hours of surfacing should be regarded as DCS until proved otherwise. There may be no abnormal physical signs. Blaming other things for DCS is common. An unnecessary recompression is usually harmless whereas delayed treatment leads to worsening of DCS and decreased effectiveness of treatment.