What is the recommended in-flight treatment for decompression sickness?

What is the recommended in-flight treatment for decompression sickness?

• A. Increase cabin altitude to reduce cabin pressure
• B. Ignore symptoms
• C. Ask captain to lower cabin altitude; keep affected areas quiet/immobilized; seek medical attention if symptoms persist
• D. Turn on oxygen mask and descend after landing

Answer: (C)

Decompression sickness occurs when rapid decompression creates nitrogen bubbles in tissues. The fastest way to help in flight is to reduce the driving pressure, limit movement, and get professional care as soon as possible. Lowering the cabin altitude during flight reduces ambient pressure, which helps bubbles shrink or off‑gas more quickly, while keeping the affected areas quiet and immobilized prevents further movement of bubbles and reduces pain and tissue stress. Seeking medical attention if symptoms persist ensures that a professional can arrange definitive treatment, such as hyperbaric therapy, after landing. The other options aren’t suitable: increasing cabin altitude would worsen the condition by further lowering ambient pressure; ignoring symptoms can allow serious harm to progress; and waiting to descend or treat after landing (instead of doing so promptly in flight) delays relief and care, and the plan should include oxygen and descent during the flight, not after landing.

Decompression sickness occurs when rapid decompression creates nitrogen bubbles in tissues. The fastest way to help in flight is to reduce the driving pressure, limit movement, and get professional care as soon as possible. Lowering the cabin altitude during flight reduces ambient pressure, which helps bubbles shrink or off‑gas more quickly, while keeping the affected areas quiet and immobilized prevents further movement of bubbles and reduces pain and tissue stress. Seeking medical attention if symptoms persist ensures that a professional can arrange definitive treatment, such as hyperbaric therapy, after landing.

The other options aren’t suitable: increasing cabin altitude would worsen the condition by further lowering ambient pressure; ignoring symptoms can allow serious harm to progress; and waiting to descend or treat after landing (instead of doing so promptly in flight) delays relief and care, and the plan should include oxygen and descent during the flight, not after landing.