I thought about off-gasing as well...hence why I raised the question (nitrogen mixed with carbon dioxide can't be good?)Originally Posted by Tigerbeach
If I stand on my head? erm....I can see that my floor needs cleaning as I have a few dead bugs lying around
Lottie
You may want to stay away from the hot tub, bath. Studies have shown that hot tubs really increase your susceptibility to DCS. It has do with the heat allowing the nitrogen to come out of solution from your tissues, and into your blood stream much quicker.
Well you learn something new everyday - I didn't know that....i'll have to stay away from the sulphur springs and the mineral falls if i've been diving then!
Lottie
I know! ...crazy that some dive boats have a hot tub waiting. At any rate after a long day diving it is difficult to at least not get in a hot bath or extra long shower. I do know about the increased chance of DCS. Usually by the time the boat has gotten back to harbor, I have found my car, and driven back home, 2-3 hours have already passed.Too bad though, I thought hot tubs on a dive boat sounded cool.
Is there info on what the circumstances are? i.e. between dives, immediately after dives, for up to 24 hours after a dive, etc?
"It was the Law of the Sea, they said. Civilization ends at the waterline. Beyond that, we all enter the food chain, and not always right at the top."
-Hunter S. Thompson
Actually from what I have read, there have been no studies and there is no proof. The fact is that SOME doctors BELIEVE that going in a hot tub after a dive can increase the risk of DCS.
I think the bottom line with the hot tub is to use your head. Example is a recent trip I took to California, the dive boat (the Sceptre) has a hot tub on the boat. After diving a shallow dive of 40 feet or so in cold water of about 50 degrees in my wetsuit, it was a pleasure to get into the warm water of the hot tub. Now their hot tub was not nearly as hot as hot tubs usually are. I was no where near my no deco limits, and I was shivvering cold on the deck. I took 3-5 minutes in the hot tub after every dive to warm back up. I did not stay in long enough to sweat!
I know there is no way that is or was going to hurt me. Now as far as some other divers, waiting until the end of their last dive, turned the heat UP on the hot tub and got in with many beers for the entire 2 hour ride back to the dock. Now I can see how that could be bad.
So bottom line, use your head, and you should be fine.
sounds like fun a hot tub with a whole bunch of other guys, no thanks unless it's the rare occasion to have an attractive female near my age diving
a tub full of dudes.Unfortunately public hot tubs can be seriously contaminated too. This is why I would rather wait to get home.
"It was the Law of the Sea, they said. Civilization ends at the waterline. Beyond that, we all enter the food chain, and not always right at the top."
-Hunter S. Thompson
I've just been reading my AOW book (picked it up yesterday - got it booked up for next week
Anyway, under the chapter for the Deep Dive it says, and I quote:
"Hot showers and baths after a dive cause skin capillaries to dilate, drawing blood away from other areas. These areas will eliminate nitrogen more slowly, while the skin experiences higher-than-normal circulation"
Lottie
There have been quite a few studies done on the vasodialation effects of hot water on the human body following a dive. None have been able to set safe guidelines (how long do I wait after being at x depth for y minutes) but most reccomend that you wait at least one half life for your slowest tissue groups. I have known some really good divers that got bent simply by taking a short hot shower after a 60-90 minute cave dive (72 degree water) during the winter time down in FL (they went straight from the spring to the shower.) It is one of those things where it may not bother you on one dive, and then drop you like a sack of rock on the next.
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