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How To Avoid Lung Squeeze While Spearfishing
Navigating Boyle's Law
Have you or someone you know experienced a spearfishing or freediving-related accident (blackouts, sharks, LMCs)?
SpearChannel is heading an initiative to collect as much information as possible on diving accidents. Most accidents go unreported, and it would be beneficial, not only for us divers but the industry as a whole, to have a database to learn from.
If you have any incidents to add, please fill out this form.
Keep Diving,
-Connor
Hey there, spearos. This is The Stone Shot, your weekly dose of spear content (and maybe some fishing, but we try to keep it below the water line)
Here’s what we have for you today:
Lung Squeeze: How to avoid damage to lungs while diving
World Record Of The Week: Dentex
Spear-cation Destination: Abu Dhabi
Video: Cat vs. Octopus
The Question
How To Avoid Lung Squeeze While Diving
Have you ever surfaced from a dive and coughed up blood? Or maybe you had a sensation of fluid in your lungs.
Both of these are symptoms of lung squeeze.
Sorry in advance for sounding like WebMD…
What Is Lung Squeeze?
Lung squeeze, also known as barotrauma or pulmonary barotrauma, is a potential risk associated with freediving or breath-hold diving. It occurs when a diver descends to significant depths without equalizing the pressure in the air spaces of the respiratory system, particularly the lungs.
As a diver descends underwater, the pressure increases, causing the air in the lungs to compress. This can result in various issues, including lung squeeze.
Symptoms
Lung squeeze is a serious condition that can occur in freedivers or spearfishers when they experience barotrauma due to pressure changes at depth. Symptoms of lung squeeze can vary in severity, and it's important for individuals engaged in breath-hold diving to be aware of these signs. Here are some common symptoms:
Coughing up blood
Post dive chest pain
The sensation of fluid in the chest
Wheezing
Fatigue
Coughing
Dizziness
Fainting
Nausea
How To Treat
If you experience a lung squeeze, immediately stop diving, stop any physical activity, and head back to land, breathe 100% medical oxygen if available, and see a physician immediately. It is vital to heal completely before going back into the water to avoid squeezing again.
How To Avoid
Now, we know you're here for the good stuff—tips on avoiding lung squeeze. So here’s the playbook:
Maintain respiratory fitness.
Build up your CO2 tolerance to reduce contractions at depth.
Do warm up dives.
Refrain from extending your arms or neck too much at significant depths.
Train your ribcage flexibility.
Chill after travel - jet lag and deep dives don't mix well.
Learn the Frenzel/mouthful technique of equalization as it
is gentler and uses less air.
Learn to relax while diving. Especially the muscles around your chest.
As spearos, we should all be doing as much as we can to get our bodies ready for diving.
World Record Of The Week
Dentex
Weight: 28.0 lbs / 12.7 kg
Spearo: Dimosthenis Adamis
Location: Greece
Date Speared: Apr 14, 2018
Spear-cation Destination
Abu Dhabi
Nestled along the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf, Abu Dhabi stands out as a truly unique spearfishing destination.
With two decades of experience as a spearfishing instructor in Abu Dhabi, our friend Will Messruther provided us with insights into the unparalleled experience of spearing in the UAE.
Abu Dhabi is the only Emirate to offer spearfishing and the climate stays warm year round.
Target Species: Sweetlips, Sea Bream, Emperor fish, Hamour, Barracuda, trevallies, Cobia, Spanish Mackerel and much.
Spearfishing in Abu Dhabi is awesome with year round warm seas, dropping to minimum 19 degrees celsius (66 degrees fahrenheit) in "winter".
We use all types of guns and pole spears. Typically [in inshore waters likes reefs and breakwaters] Spearos go for a 75cm gun with double bands - one loaded for shorter shots the other only for long shots on bigger fish.
Spearfishing in Abu Dhabi is generally practiced by experienced Spearos. Our rules have different requirements to the rest of the world, as an ISA Spearfishing instructor I am continually teaching locals and expats to keep the sport safe.
The authorities are aware of the need to protect our oceans and minimum size recommendations are the responsibility of the captain.
Will is an ISA instructor. You can book a trip with him through reaching out on his IG. Additionally, he runs a spearfishing WhatsApp group called Abu Dhabi Spearos and have done so for the past 10 years. Should you wish to join, send him your phone number and he will be happy to add you.
I am active on Facebook primarily giving free safety lectures every Thursday evening at 6pm UAE time, mostly aimed at SE Asia where a lot have died due to lack of training. We are seeing the trend reducing rapidly since I started In August, and surprisingly the videos have been viewed all over the world from Brazil thru USA Europe the middle east India and Australia.
You can find Will on Facebook here.
Video
El gato y taco… See video
That’s it for us! We’ll see you back here next week.
PS - We’re in the search for great spearfishing stories. This could be crazy experiences in the water, unique spearing methods or exotic spearfishing trips.
Any stories of your own that you'd be willing to tell? Respond to this email and we’ll send over a short questionnaire!
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