As a diver descends, exposure to increasing pressure forces more gas to dissolve in the bodily fluids and tissues, as described by natural gas laws. Upon ascent through the water column, the solubility decreases again.
Treatment consists of recompression in a chamber using air or a combination of helium-oxygen.
Bubbles may form in blood vessels, where they may cause ischemia and infarct, and in tissues, where they may initiate an inflammatory response. Inflammatory changes can lead to extravasation into the tissues, further compromising the circulation and resulting in edema. Returning to the ground increases pressure and is analogous to recompression. First described in 1841, decompression sickness has gradually become better understood. Sport divers have provided a large body of material to study causing us to be able to learn more about the illness.