Diving
Hyperbaric Centres
Travellers going on diving trips should be aware of the availability of hyperbaric facilities in the area where they are diving or if there are no local facilities, how they may be evacuated in the event of a decompression incident. Even divers with personal decompression computers have been known to have decompression accidents.
Fitness to Dive
Take evidence of your fitness to dive with you as well as your ?C' Card, and evidence of your qualifications for inspection by your guide or the dive master.
Many divers choose the tropics, where the climate is hot, take care to avoid dehydration and do not sunbath immediately after a dive as both are predisposing factors in decompression sickness. Many dive locations are in or around developing countries where hygiene standards can be poor, therefore all the usual precautions such as vaccinations, should be observed.
Divers are prone to ear infections due to the repeated immersion in water and where sea water becomes trapped in the ear canal. Ears should be cleaned out with fresh water after the last dive of the day and dried without poking anything inside the ear.
The anti malarial drug Larium can give possible side effects and problems to divers, such as dizziness, blurred vision and disturbed balance. The effects can imitate or worsen the symptoms of decompression sickness. It can also lead to confusion between the symptoms of decompression sickness and the side effects of Larium. It is recommended that you discuss alternatives with your personal physician or a travel health professional.
Check that your insurance includes cover for diving accidents or as a result of diving and should include cover for costs of recompression, hospitalisation and loss or damage to diving equipment.
