decompression sickness

NOUN

condition caused by rapid change in atmospheric pressure

Synonyms

WEAK

aeroembolism air embolism bends caisson disease decompression disease diver's condition divers' palsy dysbaric illness the bends tunnel disease

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The four crew members spent two days “pre-breathing” to prevent becoming seriously ill from decompression sickness, known as getting “the bends”, as the pressure changed.

From BBC • Sep. 12, 2024

Mr. Small died of decompression sickness before he could be transported to a hospital.

From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2023

When divers rose to the surface too fast, they risked decompression sickness, also known as the bends, where the wrong gases build up in the blood.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 22, 2022

Isaacman said the first mission would also conduct a study before and after the spacewalk to test how people cope with decompression sickness and why it varies.

From Washington Post • Feb. 14, 2022

Others suggest that COVID-19 mimics physiology seen at high altitudes, or pulmonary decompression sickness, when a diver ascends to the surface too rapidly.

From Scientific American • Apr. 3, 2020