Originally Posted by
UAL T38 Phlyer
1. The Bends. Bubbles that form at joints of limbs or in the abdomen.
2. The Creeps: bubbles that form just under the skin, giving a "creepy-crawly" sensation of insects under the skin. (Rarely occurs).
3. The Chokes: bubbles in the pneumothorax (lungs) that make it seem like you can't get a full breath of air, no matter how hard you try.
4. Central Nervous System: Minor cases involve tingling, numbness, or partial paralysis, the F-4 guys I mention below saw flashing lights and vision loss; worst case is unconciousness or loss of autonomous motor functions (like heartbeat and respiration). Correct me if I'm wrong but I think N2 Narcosis deals with bubbles in the brain or spinal column.
N2 narcosis is different from the bubble issues you mention - although the mechanism of it is not fully understood, the narcotic effect is caused by prolonged breathing of high-pressure nitrogen (i.e. scuba air, at depth), not the sudden removal of pressure from an uncontrolled ascent from depth, or a rapid decompression at high altitude. Regarding the F4 guys, decompression injuries can manifest some time after the actual decompression - bubbles can travel around the body and lodge just like clots, causing the symptoms you described. Bubbles in your blood are one of the worst things there is.