Dysbarism

/dɪsˈbærɪzəm/ noun

Definition

Illness caused by rapid changes in air or water pressure, including decompression sickness (the bends) and barotrauma.

Etymology

From dys- (bad) + barism (pressure condition), from Greek baros (weight/pressure), a medical term for pressure-related injuries in divers and aviators.

Kelly Says

When scuba divers come up too fast, nitrogen bubbles form in their blood because of sudden pressure drop—that's dysbarism, and it's why they have to decompress slowly or go in a pressure chamber afterward.

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