High pressure nervous syndrome

High Pressure Nervous Syndrome
High Pressure Nervous Syndrome
Specialty	Neurology, Diving medicine
Symptoms	Tremors, dizziness, nausea, feeling of unease, decreased mental performance
Causes	Exposure to high environmental pressure
Risk factors	Deep-sea diving, saturation diving
Diagnostic method	Based on symptoms and dive profile
Differential diagnosis	Decompression sickness, Nitrogen narcosis
Prevention	Limiting exposure to high pressures, slow compression, using helium-oxygen mixtures
Treatment	Reduction of environmental pressure, supportive care

High Pressure Nervous Syndrome (HPNS) is a neurological and physiological condition resulting from exposure to high environmental pressure. HPNS is most commonly encountered by deep-sea divers, submariners, and individuals in hyperbaric environments. The syndrome is characterized by a variety of symptoms including tremors, dizziness, nausea, a feeling of unease, and decreased mental performance. It poses a significant risk to divers undergoing deep sea or saturation diving operations where pressures exceed the normal atmospheric pressure experienced at sea level.

Symptoms and Signs[edit | edit source]

The onset of HPNS is associated with exposure to high environmental pressures, typically greater than 150 meters (500 feet) of seawater (msw). Symptoms can vary widely among individuals but commonly include:

Tremors
Dizziness
Nausea
Feeling of unease
Decreased mental performance

Causes[edit | edit source]

HPNS is primarily caused by the rapid compression experienced during deep-sea dives, leading to an increase in the environmental pressure. The exact physiological mechanisms behind HPNS are not fully understood, but it is believed to involve the effects of high pressure on nerve cell membranes and neurotransmitter release.

Prevention and Treatment[edit | edit source]

Prevention of HPNS involves careful planning of dive profiles to limit exposure to high pressures and the use of slow compression techniques. Divers can also use breathing gas mixtures such as helium-oxygen (heliox) to reduce the risk of HPNS. Treatment typically involves the reduction of environmental pressure and supportive care for symptoms.

See Also[edit | edit source]

High pressure nervous syndrome Resources
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