Physical injury to body tissues caused by rapid or significant changes in pressure, commonly experienced by divers, pilots, or airplane passengers.
From Greek 'baros' (pressure/weight) + 'trauma' (injury/wound). The term emerged in early 20th-century aviation and diving medicine as these activities became more common.
Barotrauma is why divers must ascend slowly and pilots pressurize cabins—rapid pressure changes can rupture ears, sinuses, lungs, or even cause nitrogen bubbles in the blood (the bends), making pressure management literally a matter of life and death.
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