What is the most serious injury that a diver could suffer if they hold their breath upon ascending?

Answer 1

Answer: The most serious injury is lung barotraumas, which can result in pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, subcutaneous emphysema, and arterial gas embolism. Barotrauma is injury caused by pressure effects on air spaces. This may occur during ascent or descent. The ears are the most commonly affected body part. All divers, commercial air travelers, people traveling overland between different altitudes, and people who work in pressurized environments have had to deal with some degree of barotrauma effect upon their ears, sinuses, and other air spaces. At the most extreme, barotrauma can cause ruptured eardrums, bleeding sinuses, exploding tooth cavities, and the lung injuries described above. This is the reason why divers follow a golden rule of never holding their breath: by breathing continuously, they avoid any pressure differences between their lungs and ambient pressure.