A good dive exam should cover a number of different areas that a doctor should be looking for. General examinations include visual acuity, cardiovascular fitness, visual acuity, barotrauma, and gastrointestinal function. Doctors may also recommend additional tests, such as x-rays, to further assess your diving abilities. If you have ever had ear infections, it's important that you speak with your dive doctor. Even if there is no history of ear infections or you have never had them before, a diving physical will provide all necessary information.
Examining cardiovascular fitness
It is crucial to assess your cardiovascular condition before you consider diving as a hobby or career. This may sound like a simple task, but it is not. If you're unable to walk a single block, then you shouldn't register for a diving program. Instead, exercise for 20 to 30 minutes five times a week. You might need to walk for as little as a quarter of a mile.
Examining the gastrointestinal function
A scuba dive physical should include a thorough examination of the gastrointestinal function. This is because ischemic complications can arise during diving expeditions. Belching and abdominal discomfort may be experienced by divers, but little is known about serious gastrointestinal complications. Rare gastrointestinal conditions, such as gastric leakage due to intra-gastric pressure expansion and massive pneumoperitoneum (which results from lung barotrauma), have been reported. Scuba diving has never been associated with hemorhagic colitis, acute ischemic and mesenteric vein embombosis.
Examining visual acuity
Dive physicals are designed to ensure that divers are able to perform the required skills, and to assess a diver's vision. A visual acuity questionnaire will be completed by the professional to determine if a diver is able to see clearly. The test is designed to measure a person's vision acuity and distance vision.
Do you suspect that your barotrauma is present?
Scuba diving requires you to be extra cautious in order to prevent barotrauma. Barotrauma is a combination of the Greek words baros and trauma. Trauma refers to injury. In a dive, the pressure changes can damage or rupture key parts of the ear. You can get this condition if you are suffering from a cold, congestion, or while diving. It can also cause vomiting and pain.
Asthma: Check for it
Before diving, it is a good idea to consult your physician if you suspect you may have asthma. Dive vacations can trigger asthma symptoms, which can make it worse or worsen. Asthma treatment can be provided by your doctor with oral steroids. You should always keep an inhaler onboard your dive boat as a precaution. To assess your asthma severity, your physician may also perform an exercise test and a lung function test.