decompression sickness

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. aeroembolism.

---

decompression sickness British  

noun

1. Nontechnical name: the bends.  Also called: caisson disease.   aeroembolism.  a disorder characterized by severe pain in muscles and joints, cramp, and difficulty in breathing, caused by a sudden and sustained decrease in air pressure, resulting in the deposition of nitrogen bubbles in the tissues

---

decompression sickness Scientific  

1. A common disorder that affects deep-sea divers following a sudden drop in the surrounding pressure, as when ascending rapidly from a dive. When divers are underwater, the amounts of gases such as O ₂, CO ₂, and N ₂ in their blood increase due to the increased pressure. As they ascend to the surface and the pressure decreases, the gases in their blood expand. The extra oxygen is absorbed by the body; the extra CO ₂ is excreted efficiently; but nitrogen, which the body does not use, forms bubbles in the blood and tissues. These bubbles cause severe pains in the joints and chest, skin irritation, cramps, and possibly paralysis. Decompression sickness can be avoided by ascending slowly to the surface, or by spending time in a decompression chamber.

---

Etymology

Origin of decompression sickness

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

The incident, which occurred at 23:28 BST, led some people to believe that a real astronaut was suffering from decompression sickness in space.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2024

Mr. Small died of decompression sickness before he could be transported to a hospital.

From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2023

When divers rose to the surface too fast, they risked decompression sickness, also known as the bends, where the wrong gases build up in the blood.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 22, 2022

Astronauts must also take steps to avoid decompression sickness, or “the bends.”

From Washington Post • Jul. 9, 2021

Others suggest that COVID-19 mimics physiology seen at high altitudes, or pulmonary decompression sickness, when a diver ascends to the surface too rapidly.

From Scientific American • Apr. 3, 2020