Diving Medicineis a specialized area of medical science dealing with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of conditions caused by humans entering the undersea environment. It includes the effects on the body of pressure on gases, the diagnosis and treatment of conditions caused by marine hazards and how relationships of a diver's fitness to dive affect a diver's safety. In addition to treating diving injuries, a diving physician must also make decisions regarding the "fitness" of an individual to dive.
Who Needs Diving Medicine?
Recreational divers: Students and those routinely carrying out the sport of diving: The older diver (older than age 45) has a number of unique needs.
Professional Instructors and dive Masters who are required to maintain standards of health and fitness.
Hazardous Material and Nuclear Plant Divers are a challenge for Occupational Medicine.
Military, Police and Technical Divers require rigorous physical exams.
Inshore Professionals: Engineers, Archaeologists, Oceanographers, Marine Biologists, Salvors and ...
Offshore Professionals: Saturation Welders and other Mixed Gas Construction team members all have special needs.
Dr Tarun Sahni has had opportunity to providing medical support for recreational, professional and military divers:
Navy Divers and marine commandos
Recreational divers in the UK,UAE and India as a BSAC and PADI approved dive doctor
Professional divers in the UAE and India – HSE and IMCA approved
He currently routinely carries out the following activities for divers:
IMCA qualified dive physician for treatment and medical examination of diver – over 200 professional divers are examined every year
Diving companies – retain services for providing radio medical advice and emergency onsite treatment in dive emergencies
Recreational divers – medical support services : Dr Sahni provides advice to dive clubs in Goa, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the fitness and treatment of diving and non diving ailments in divers
Training of Professional divers : Courses such as DMT , DMT refresher , ADS & BDS are carried out in partnership with KBAT institute Singapore
Treatment of diving and non diving injuries such as Air embolism, Decompression Sickness, Water jet injuries, accidents etc in divers and assess fitness to dive thereafter.
The Indian Coast line with its warm waters, clean beaches, and fascinating undersea world serve as a source of inspiration for tourists to take up SCUBA diving and explore the secrets of the sea. A number of clubs on the Indian Coast line offer diving courses provide equipment and other support for both the novice diver and the advanced recreational divers. Off the coast many Commercial divers are actively working under hazardous conditions in the open ocean, on Oil platforms and in other undersea work. There is difference in the practice of these two types of diving and therefore also in their medical implications.
Whenever humans endeavour to explore the secrets of nature, whether it involves space travel, mountaineering, high altitude exposure or Diving, they have to adapt to the hazards of that environment. It is the fascination of the unexplored areas and the thrills of interacting with unknown risks that serves as an attraction to these adventure, sport or recreational activities. It is important for every individual intending to explore Natures secrets to familiarize him with the medical and physiological impact of that environment on the human body. It will help him to adapt better and so enjoy to the maximum the beauty he is discovering….For more information on Medical aspects of diving : Click to download
The Indian Navy divers supported by the Navy Physicians team including Dr Tarun Sahni created a world record by diving at an altitude of 14,200 feet (4328 meters) in the Pangong Tso Lake in northern tip of ladakh state in Himalayas.
