The golden rule of scuba diving is: Never hold your breath.
This is arguably the most important safety rule for scuba diving. Holding your breath underwater can lead to serious and potentially fatal injuries due to the changing pressure.
Why Holding Your Breath is Dangerous
When you descend underwater, the pressure increases. The air in your lungs compresses. As you ascend, the pressure decreases, and the air in your lungs expands. If you hold your breath during ascent, the expanding air can over-inflate and rupture the lung tissue. This can lead to:
- Arterial Gas Embolism (AGE): Air bubbles enter the bloodstream and travel to the brain, potentially causing stroke, paralysis, or death.
- Pneumothorax: Air leaks from the lung into the space between the lung and the chest wall, causing the lung to collapse.
- Mediastinal Emphysema: Air leaks into the space in the middle of the chest, around the heart and major blood vessels.
- Subcutaneous Emphysema: Air gets trapped under the skin, causing swelling in the neck and chest area.
How to Avoid Holding Your Breath
- Breathe continuously and slowly. This allows the expanding air to escape naturally through your regulator.
- Ascend slowly. This gives the air in your lungs more time to equalize with the surrounding pressure.
- If you feel the need to hold your breath, exhale slowly and deliberately.
- If you are experiencing difficulty breathing, signal your buddy or instructor immediately.
In Summary
Always remember the golden rule: never hold your breath while scuba diving. Continuous, slow breathing is crucial for your safety underwater.
