6-22
individual; claustrophobia.
Neurological: Headache requiring medication or with neurological deficits; history of penetrating head injury;
history of closed head injury with CSF leak that lasted more than 7 days, intracranial bleed, depressed
skull fracture, or loss of consciousness; seizure disorders except toxic, febrile or immediately post traumatic;
recurrent syncope or vertigo; history of decompression sickness or arterial gas embolism with residual impair-
ment; cerebral vascular disease; history of heat stroke with residual neurological impairment; stammering or
stuttering; symptomatic disk disease; spine surgery in past 6 months (must be asymptomatic for the 6 months);
neurosurgery for cancer
Ears, Nose and Throat: Eustachian tube dysfunction, or ineffectiveness; middle ear surgery except tympano-
plasty; any inner ear surgery; any inner ear pathology; any inner ear hearing dysfunction below basic diving
qualification standards; any laryngeal or tracheal framework surgery.
Cardiac: Congestive heart failure; coronary artery disease; history of myocardial infarction; patent foramen
ovale; any heart surgery; Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (symptomatic, not just EKG findings); any electro-
conductive disorder in the heart; blood pressure in excess of 140 systolic or 90 diastolic (in a qualified diver,
hypertension requiring only 1 medication to control may be acceptable).
Endocrine: Diabetes (insulin dependent or requiring oral medication); uncontrolled thyroid dysfunction.
Gastrointestinal: Any condition that causes air trapping in the GI tract; severe gastroesophageal reflux;
achalasia; paraesophageal and incarcerated sliding hiatal hernias; chronic partial gastric-outlet obstruction;
severe postgastrectomy dumping syndrome; chronic, recurrent or acute small bowel obstruction; symptomatic
gallstones; any uncorrected abdominal wall hernia.
Obstetrics and Gynecology: Pregnancy
Oral, Maxillofacial, and Dental: Any disorder that prevents holding a regulator in the mouth or the ability to
clear the ears; poor dental health or care (below category 2) (broken or badly carious teeth).
Orthopedic: Any disorder that prevents the diver from performing essential emergency procedures in the
water.
Medications: There is no list of disqualifying medications. The disease process for which the diver is
taking the medication is the main concern and must be evaluated for its limitations on diving. Side effects
of the medications in question must fully be understood by the diving medical personnel prior to allowing
a diver to enter the water. Diving medical personnel are expected to use their judgment to prevent
unsafe/unhealthy divers from entering the water.
NOTES: The US Navy is the lead agent for all US military diving. BUMED-21 addresses diving medicine
issues at (202) 762-3444. The Naval Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU) is available for consultations on diving
emergencies (24 hrs a day) at (850) 230-3100.
The lead civilian diving resource is the Diver’s Alert Network (DAN), located at Duke University in North
Carolina. DAN may be reached at (919) 684-8111 (24 hrs a day) for emergencies, and at (919) 684-2948, Ext.
222, for non-emergency diving questions.