Salt water aspiration syndrome
Encyclopedia
Salt water aspiration syndrome is a rare diving disorder suffered by SCUBA divers
who inhale a mist of seawater
from a faulty demand valve causing irritation of the lung
s. It can be treated by rest for several hours. If severe, medical assessment is required.
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
who inhale a mist of seawater
Seawater
Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...
from a faulty demand valve causing irritation of the lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
s. It can be treated by rest for several hours. If severe, medical assessment is required.
Symptoms
Symptoms of salt water aspiration syndrome include:- Aches and pains
- CyanosisCyanosisCyanosis is the appearance of a blue or purple coloration of the skin or mucous membranes due to the tissues near the skin surface being low on oxygen. The onset of cyanosis is 2.5 g/dL of deoxyhemoglobin. The bluish color is more readily apparent in those with high hemoglobin counts than it is...
- Mild feverFeverFever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
- Shortness of breath