 reaction from it. When diving in really clear waters the mind can be tricked into thinking that it will just fall into the abyss. It can also happen when diving over a thermocline if the bottom cannot be seen. Ways to avoid these situation is to start in shallow waters and see progressing to deeper water with time. Learning about and to control buoyancy is another way to overcome this feeling.
If you are afraid of getting gastric reflux while diving. You can avoid acidic food like coffee. You can also use over the counter medicine as they have no or very little side effects. If it still happens underwater just remember divers can cancel dives at any time for any reason.
Claustrophobia or agoraphobia
As these conditions are very hard to quantify it might be a good idea to give it a try in a very controlled environment such as a pool with a professional. Taking it further as level of comfort increase. In the end, diving should be a fun thing and not some task to overcome.
Does it hurt to get medical clearance?
No there is no intrusive painful medical test for diving. What we mean is that it might be a good idea to see a physician anyway. It does not hurt to do it.
There are also possibilities that some conditions went unnoticed because they do not cause symptoms in everyday life. A good example is a PFO which cause no problem so they usually do not test for in common medical examination. But it can be of a big concern for scuba diving activities.
When should I do it?
The sooner the better. For the reasons above, it might be a good idea to go see a physician when you think you might eventually be diving. Even days or few months before as physician clearance will usually be accepted up to two years after being given.
It is a good idea to do it at the beginning of the course or even at the moment of booking if you start a course at a later time or another day. This way you make sure that you will not get bad surprise after you already spent some time on a course.
And once certified or if I do a new course?
For certified divers it is their responsibility to see if their medical condition changed so that it could be a problem with diving. It is recommended to see a physician every 2 years to keep track and up to date. Age is also a consideration in the frequency.