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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/scuba-lung-overexpansion

What can happen if a diver holds their breath while ascending?

Expanding air can rupture lung tissue and send bubbles into the arteries.

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  1. Their ears pop too loudly
  2. Expanding air can rupture lung tissue ✔
  3. Their tank runs out faster

Why: As a diver rises, the air in the lungs expands. Without exhaling, it can tear the lungs (pulmonary barotrauma) and push gas bubbles into the arteries, called an arterial gas embolism.

Huh, didn't know that: DAN says signs of an arterial gas embolism usually show up within 15 minutes of surfacing.

The dad joke
Holding your breath on the way up is a bad idea. Your lungs do not like surprise parties.
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References

Answer: Expanding air can rupture lung tissue. As a diver rises, the air in the lungs expands. Without exhaling, it can tear the lungs (pulmonary barotrauma) and push gas bubbles into the arteries, called an arterial gas embolism.

  1. DAN: How to Avoid Rapid Ascents and Arterial Gas Embolism dan.org/safety-prevention/diver-safety/divers-blog/how-to-avoid-rapid-ascents-and-arterial-gas-embolism
    If the diver fails to exhale sufficiently, the expanding air may rupture lung tissue (pulmonary barotrauma)
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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Sports & FitnessAfter breathing from a tank, how shallow can a breath-hold ascent still hurt your lungs?Sports & FitnessWhere is the risk of pressure injuries (barotrauma) greatest for divers?Sports & FitnessWhere and how long is the standard safety stop at the end of a recreational dive?

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