Cloudscraper Bends

Causes

Cloudscraper Bends is caused by almost the same exact factors of the more common Bends or Diver's Disease, but rather than scuba diving, flight is the activity that puts the patient at risk. Ascending to high altitudes too rapidly without proper training or time to adjust to the lower atmospheric pressure can cause nitrogen bubbles to form in the blood, causing the condition.

Symptoms

Dizziness, nausea, joint paint, non-localized swelling, and difficulty breathing are all very common symptoms of the condition across the board. These symptoms are not commonly deadly if the situation causing them is addressed quickly, and victim is able to safely and steadily return to a lower elevation.
More severe cases may present with edema, loss of consciousness, permanent blood vessel damage, rupture of small blood vessels, and even death. These cases are often caused by extreme ascents at rapid speed, and can be deadly, mainly due to those affected passing out in flight and not regaining consciousness before being able to land safely. Even in those that can safely land, death can still be caused by stroke from the development of air bubbles in the blood, damage to the blood vessels, or from not getting enough oxygen at high altitude. Another issue caused by victims of the condition losing consciousness is the possibility of plane-strikes: unconscious dragons may fall at great speeds and may not regain awareness in time to avoid aircraft below them, and there have been unfortunate accidents with planes and helicopters alike where in unconscious dragons have struck them, leaving no survivors on either side.
Other symptoms that commonly present with Cloudchaser Bends are windburns, frostbite, dehydration, low body temperature, and friction burns, though are not caused by the disease, but by flying at high speed at such high altitudes, or rapid ascent/descent.

Treatment

Treatment for minor cases is often as simple as administering pure oxygen to the patient while at a proper altitude for several hours, after which the condition will typically resolve on its own. Severe cases, where in the patient does not die from sudden loss off consciousness and collision with the ground, generally require much more rigorous treatment. Hyperbaric chambers often must be used in tandem with oxygen supplementation, surgically relieving pressure around the swollen blood vessels and extremities to prevent permanent tissue damage, and stroke prevention drugs.
For particularly large dragons with severe cases, it is an unfortunate reality that large enough chambers to treat the condition are often few and far between, and may already be in use by another patient, due to their extreme cost to build and maintain.

Prevention

Many regions implement restrictions on draconic flight above 5,000 feet from sea level, even with protective equipment to only be allowed by trained professionals. Many of the regions with such restrictions require dragonkin to wear radios and trackers when flying at high altitudes, communicating with drones deployed at the danger levels, which are often locally enforced, which can give a signal when they are flying too high. Although these safety measures do not prevent daredevils and risk takers from ascending higher, the message is often clear enough to make many back down and descend, playing loud annoying warnings repeatedly and warning of the possibility of plane-strikes.

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Rare

Affected Species

• Dragons
• Omnia