the bends
Rapid ascent sickness
The bends is decompression sickness, a painful and potentially fatal condition affecting divers who surface too quickly.
Nitrogen dissolved in the blood under pressure forms bubbles as pressure drops, causing joint pain, paralysis, or death.
The name comes from the contorted postures of sufferers.
He got the bends after a deep dive.
- decompression sicknessGas bubbles from pressure change
- Boyle's lawPressure times volume constant
- scuba divingSwimming with air tanks
- altitude sicknessHypoxia from high elevation
- nitrogen narcosisGas-induced underwater impairment
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