Is there a Doctor in the house?

[DiverQueen]

Are there any Medical Professionals out there who could answer a couple of questions in regard to dive physiology, knee pain and why it feels better after a deeper (Crosby!!) kind of dive?  ;D

[DetectorGuy]

I'm not a Doc... but I have Ankylosing Spondylitus and I feel better after diving. Ankylosing Spondylitus is kinda like rheumatoid arthritis in the spine. It can get very painful at times. I think that when you pressurize the joints for an hour at depth does something... that is not pain full but it seems to make the joints feel really swollen while I am at depth. Then when I start to ascend, the pressure decreases and the feeling is like being on some really good pain meds. Weird... Now I need a real doctor to prescribe diving everyday as therapy.

[DiverQueen]

Yeah, at least deeper than in a therapy pool!!!  ;D  It could be just the release of endorphins....But I think it's bigger than that!  8)

[tullibee]

There also might be some correlation to the other activity involved in getting to and doing the Crosby dive - maybe your ankle likes getting the extra exercise involved (and you're all endorf'd up and don't notice working it).

as far as the pressure stuff - anyone know if the joint fluids are like ketchup - change viscousity under pressure (I forget what the technical term for that is...)?  might be another avenue of thought.  or if they have some sort of normal bubble-level that could be affected?

[arcFlash]

As long as we are throwing out ideas. They use Hyperbaric chambers for burn victims, and other non diving issues. It has something to do with circulation/perfusion and high PPO2 levels. It's likely your dives are simply recreating a basic form of a chamber treatment.

quotes from
"Hyperbaric oxygen is a documented modality in treating problem wounds which have a poor blood supply (are hypoxic). Bringing additional oxygen to the deprived area makes the body better able to repair itself. "

Oxygen deficiency is often overlooked.  Signs of low oxygen levels in the body include:

    * Inflamed, swollen or aching joints
    * Premature aging
    * Unexplainable depression, anger or sadness
    * Memory loss/forgetfulness
    * Sleeping disorders, drowsiness, exhaustion
    * Digestive disorders, acid stomach
    * Excessive colds or infections
    * Muscle or tendon aches
    * Headaches
    * Chronic fatigue
    * Difficulty breathing, breathlessness, shortness of breath

[dd_diver]

Why don't you call DAN ?  It doesn't have to be an emergency to call them.