A good diving physical will include several parts that should be examined by a physician. Checking cardiovascular fitness, gastrointestinal function and visual acuity are all part of a general examination. Doctors may recommend additional tests to evaluate your diving abilities. If you have had any ear infections in the past it is important that your dive doctor be consulted. Even if there is no history of ear infections or you have never had them before, a diving physical will provide all necessary information.
The importance of cardiovascular fitness
Before diving as a hobby/career, it is important to assess your cardiovascular endurance. 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. You should be exercising for 20 minutes at least four to five days 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. Some rare gastrointestinal conditions have been reported, including gastric rupture due to intra-gastric air expansion and massive pneumoperitoneum, which results from lung barotrauma. But, hemorhagic, acute ischemic, and mesenteric thrombosis were never linked to scubadiving.
Examining visual acuity
Dive physicals assess the abilities of divers and evaluate their vision. To assess if a diver's vision is good, a diving professional will ask the diver to fill out a visual acuity questionnaire. Although the goal of the test is to evaluate a diver's near and distant vision, it also measures the person's visual acuity.
Examining for barotrauma
If you're going scuba diving, you should take extra precautions to check for barotrauma. Barotrauma is a combination of the Greek words baros and trauma. Trauma refers to injury. Dive pressure can cause damage or rupture to the eardrums. If you have a cold or congestion, diving can cause this condition. It can also cause vomiting and pain.
Asthma testing
Before diving, it is a good idea to consult your physician if you suspect you may have asthma. You can experience asthma symptoms that can get worse or worse, and even trigger by diving. Your doctor can prescribe oral steroids to treat your asthma. Keep an extra supply of inhalers with you on board your dive boat. Your physician can also run an exercise test to evaluate your asthma, and perform a lung function test to determine the severity of your condition.