All deep scuba divers have probably heard of this term before because they have been affected by nitrogen narcosis in one way or another. In this article, we are going to go over precisely what nitrogen narcosis is and its effects on the body.
Nitrogen Narcosis is a change in neuromuscular function and consciousness caused by breathing compressed air higher than atmospheric pressure. Nitrogen narcosis typically starts at depths below 70 feet/ 21 meters of seawater. Limiting the depth of a dive can help prevent potential nitrogen narcosis symptoms.
Now that we know what nitrogen narcosis is, we will go over how to further prevent it, how to check if you are under the effects of nitrogen narcosis, and anything else you may need to know.
What are the Effects of Nitrogen Narcosis?
Nitrogen narcosis, also known as Martini effect, is a well-known term to all divers because it can lead to serious errors in diving techniques, accidents, and more seruous injuries. Deep sea divers use oxygen tanks that contain a mix of oxygen, nitrogen, and other gases. Once a diver goes deeper than about 100 feet/ meters, the increased pressure alters these gases. When these altered gases are inhaled, some strange symptoms may occur.
Note that nitrogen narcosis is not limited to deep diving, it may very well be experienced in recreational diving as well.
Many effects of nitrogen narcosis can potentially turn very serious if not identified right away. Symptoms of nitrogen narcosis include:
- Confusion
- Euphoria
- Poor Judgment
- Disorientation
- Reduced Nerve Function
- Hallucinations
- Tunnel vision
These symptoms will get better if the diver ascends to the surface or doesn’t dive any deeper. Once the diver ascends a couple of feet or returns to the surface, the symptoms will usually go away within a few minutes. Since a lot of the symptoms cause the diver to have poor judgment, nitrogen narcosis may cause the diver to go deeper. This will make the effects even more serious. Nitrogen narcosis could potentially result in a coma or even death if a diver continues to swim deeper than recommended.
How to prevent Nitrogen Narcosis
Limiting the Depth
The most simple, straightforward way for divers to prevent nitrogen narcosis is to limit the depth at which they dive. The maximum depth that a diver should go when breathing in compressed air is 98 to 150 feet/ 30 to 50 meters.
Gas Mixture
If a diver needs to dive further than 50 feet, it’s important to make sure that they create a gas mixture and substitute some of the oxygen with helium or helium-nitrogen. Helium imposes a greater decompression burden upon divers than nitrogen.
Plan the Dive
It’s important to always dive with a buddy and plan your dives. Deep dives must be planned more thoroughly than shallow recreational dives. You and your dive buddy should plan your route and depth and stick to it. Particularly for deep dives, it is super important not to dive alone so that you may count on your buddy’s assistance in case help is needed.
Ascend at Shallower Depth
As soon as you start recognizing nitrogen narcosis symptoms, all you need to do is simply ascend at a shallower depth by 10 to 20 feet. This will most likely clear your head and allow you to surface safely.
How to Self-check Nitrogen Narcosis
Self Check Nitrogen Narcosis
An easy self test to check if you are under the effects of nitrogen narcosis is to memorize a phone number (you can use the same in every dive). At a given depth, try to recall mentally such phone number, while keeping an eye on your dive watch. if it takes more than 5 seconds or if you do not manage to recall it properly, then you might be under the effects of nitrogen narcosis.
Gauge Checks
It’s important that you schedule gauge checks throughout your dive. When you are going deeper, agree with your diving partner that you are going to do gauge checks every 2 minutes or so. Your diving partner may have developed nitrogen narcosis if they consistently miss the 2-minute gauge check.
Buddy Checks
There is no need to self-check when you have a diving partner with you at all times. It may be hard to self-check for nitrogen narcosis. If you have it, you most likely won’t realize it because you will be confused and disoriented. You and your partner must agree to look for each other at specific intervals. Every 2 minutes, make eye contact and signal to each other that you are both doing okay.
Trust the Instruments
Divers use various instruments to ensure their safety. Make sure to always trust these instruments and check them religiously. Before diving, ensure that your instruments and gauges are working properly.
Using a dive computer with integrated alerts can help you avoid exceeding your depth limits and avoid nitrogen narcosis.
Treatment of Nitrogen Narcosis
Luckily, it is relatively easy to treat nitrogen narcosis. Simply ascent at shallower depths by 10-20 feet to the surface. However, make sure not to do so quickly, as doing so can cause other issues such as decompression sickness. Once you are closer to the surface than you were when you were experiencing symptoms, wait a few minutes and let your symptoms subside.
Once symptoms have cleared completely, you can continue your dive in more shallow water. If symptoms don’t resolve themselves once you reach more shallow water, you must end your dive to ensure that you stay safe and avoid any further nitrogen narcosis systems. If you end your dive and you are still experiencing symptoms, see a doctor as soon as possible.
For future dives, consider using a different mix of gases in your oxygen tank. Using helium instead of nitrogen may be helpful. However, helium may raise the risk of decompression sickness. Work with an experienced diving instructor to determine what mixture of gases is best for you.
Nitrogen Narcosis Vs. Bends
The Bends or Decompression Sickness
The bends are also known as decompression sickness. It’s caused by a rapid decrease in the amount of pressure that surrounds you. It can occur on land, in the air, or underwater. The bends cause air bubbles to form in or near your joints. The spinal cord and brain are usually affected, which causes numbness, paralysis, impaired coordination, and even disorders of higher cerebral function.
Symptoms of the bends include:
- Fatigue
- Itchy Skin
- Painful Joints
- Dizziness
- Vertigo
- Shortness of Breath
You are more likely to experience decompression sickness symptoms after your dive when you are on the surface than when you are underwater.
Nitrogen Narcosis
Nitrogen narcosis is caused by increased pressure, which alters the gases in your air tank. Nitrogen narcosis is known to make a diver feel almost drunk. It changes your neuromuscular function and consciousness.
The main difference between nitrogen narcosis and the bends is that nitrogen narcosis is only experienced underwater, while symptoms of the bends can be felt anywhere.
Overall, nitrogen narcosis isn’t typically serious, and symptoms usually go away quickly. This means that while it might be scary to experience nitrogen narcosis symptoms, you likely won’t be affected for very long.