• hearing loss
• pain
• dizziness
• feeling of stuffy ears

• pressure differences while diving
• explosive blast
• explosive decompression
• mechanical ventilation
• hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• dynamic hyperinflation

• high pressurized shock waves

• severe lung disease
• high transpulmonary pressure
• high tidal volumes
• high intrinsic positive end expiratory pressure

• limiting pressure differences
• educate the rescue training to the professional divers and recreational divers

Number of Cases

• Widely occurring between 500K - 1 Million cases

Common Age Group

Common Gender

• Echocardiography: To detect the number and size of gas bubbles in the right side of the heart
• Spiral computed tomography: To evaluate for pneumothorax
• Computed tomography scans and magnetic resonance imaging: To detect if there is severe headache or severe back pain after diving
• Chest radiography: To detect if there is chest discomfort or breathing difficulty
• Creatine kinase level: To detect the tissue damage associated with decompression sickness

• Otolaryngologist
• Occupational and environmental medicine specialist
• Diving medicine physician

Yes, Barotrauma causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Barotrauma is left untreated:

• hearing loss
• vertigo
• acute ear infection
• damaged eardrum

• Surgery: To equalize air pressure and drain fluids

• Yawn and swallow during ascent and descent: Helps in activating muscles that open eustachian tubes
• Use filtered earplugs: To equalize the pressure against eardrum during ascents and descents

• Barotrauma

This page was last updated on 2/04/2019.