decompression sickness

NOUN

condition caused by rapid change in atmospheric pressure

Synonyms

WEAK

aeroembolism air embolism bends caisson disease decompression disease diver's condition divers' palsy dysbaric illness the bends tunnel disease

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The incident, which occurred at 23:28 BST, led some people to believe that a real astronaut was suffering from decompression sickness in space.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2024

Mr. Small died of decompression sickness before he could be transported to a hospital.

From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2023

Another neglected hazard is decompression sickness among divers forced to make repeated deep dives, a common problem in harvesting lobster, sea cucumbers and conches, the report said.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 2, 2022

Astronauts must also take steps to avoid decompression sickness, or “the bends.”

From Washington Post • Jul. 9, 2021

Others suggest that COVID-19 mimics physiology seen at high altitudes, or pulmonary decompression sickness, when a diver ascends to the surface too rapidly.

From Scientific American • Apr. 3, 2020