Long term effects of recreational diving....scientific data?

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1. As a PADI Professional, I recently attended a lecture from a Chamber Operator / Technician (Chamber located within an International Hospital), and I was a bit surprised to hear this individual describe "documented scientific evidence" gleaned from data taken from frequent and long-term recreational divers. I want to emphasize that he was NOT talking about technical or commercial divers (nor about divers who have experienced DCI / DCS in the past), but simply people who dive somewhat regularly at recreational depths. He wasn't specific as to the definition of "frequent" divers, but as a PADI Instructor who make a living teaching-diving, I inferred that I would certainly fall into that group. He claimed that in this group there is peer-reviewed (documented) evidence of short-term memory loss, lessening of high-cognitive functions, more likelihood of frequent headaches (and migraines), and higher susceptibility to depression and mental illness. This sentence was taken verbatim, so I could enter it again on this forum. So, can anybody please refer me to such articles or data--he basically said that repetitive diving makes us "stupid" over a period of years, and I'm not inclined to believe that without some peer-reviewed evidence from the Baro-medical community! Maybe I'm just "in denial" here, but I want some hard FACTS! I'd appreciate any data or web links that you can provide to enlighten me--or disprove that fellow's rather frightening statement! HB

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2. I've never heard anything of the sort ... but they do say that you have to be nuts to dive, so perhaps it is the other way round?

   I refuse to believe that corporations are people until Texas executes one.

   "Too often ... people enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought" - Leapfrog
   "They are the McDonalds of diver certification. Quick, inexpensive and tasty. Pardon me for saying so, but I also believe it to be a health hazard." - DCBC
   "It truly does boil down to motivation ... if you believe something is hard, or unnecessary to learn, you won't learn it ... even if it's completely within your capability" - Bob (Grateful Diver)
   
   

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3. Indeed, neither had I (until that lecture), and that's what makes it so discouraging (and frightening!) to people like myself who earn their living in diving and are in the water several times a week. I suppose his premise is that our exposure to pressures while diving (even at recreational depths) causes some type of neural degradation...but this is just conjecture on my part. Thus, my request for HARD data that is peer-reviewed.......it would sure be nice to know, either way!

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4. I agree with him.

   there was a time several years in succession of repetitive dives. weekends would be around 8 dives, with some weekday dives, and even some weeks of daily diving and even months of daily diving at open water.

   now it is depressing when you start to head back to the city to face traffic pollution etc.

   when in the city its hard to keep your mind on city stuff so in a way memory loss.

   headaches most probably due to pollution of city and city stress.

   it is depressive as you long to go back to the sea and have to endure city life. it makes you sick.

   actively doing repetitive diving would make you into dive mode so you may be alert on those repetitive dives since you are aware of the gas buildup in your system hence you need to be very mindfull of this. after all it literally is your life that depends on it. now would you think of anything else other than your repetitive dive. to the non-repetitive diver that is stupid.

   IMHO

   paolo

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5. Can you contact the presenter and ask [citation needed]?

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