Air Embolism: What It Is, Symptoms & How to Handle It

If you hear the term "air embolism" you might picture a sci‑fi scene, but it’s actually a real medical emergency. In plain terms, it’s when air bubbles slip into your bloodstream and block blood flow. Those tiny pockets can travel anywhere—brain, heart, lungs—and cause trouble fast.

How Air Gets Inside Your Veins

Most people get an air embolism during surgery, especially if a line is placed in a large vein. Even something as simple as diving too deep or a chest injury can force air into the circulation. The key thing to remember: it’s not just doctors who need to watch out; scuba divers, needle‑prick patients, and anyone with a traumatic wound should know the signs.

Spotting the Signs Quickly

The symptoms depend on where the bubbles go. If they hit the brain, you might feel sudden dizziness, confusion, or loss of speech. A heart‑focused embolism can cause chest pain, rapid heartbeat, or even fainting. Lungs get shortness of breath and a feeling of choking. The scary part is that these signs often look like other problems, so act fast if they pop up after a procedure or dive.

When you suspect an air embolism, call emergency services right away. While waiting, lay the person flat and elevate their legs—this helps keep blood flowing to vital organs. If you’re trained, you can also give them 100% oxygen; extra oxygen pushes out the air bubbles faster.

Doctors treat a confirmed air embolism with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). The pressurized chamber squeezes the air out of the bloodstream and restores normal flow. In severe cases they might need to remove the source of air, like fixing a faulty IV line, or even surgery to extract large bubbles.

Prevention is easier than cure. For anyone getting an IV or having surgery, make sure the medical team checks for proper line placement and removes any air before connecting tubes. Scuba divers should follow safe ascent rates—no rapid surfacing—and always use a dive computer.

If you work in a setting where needles are used (like a clinic), double‑check that syringes are fully cleared of bubbles before injection. A quick tap on the side of the syringe does the trick.

Bottom line: air embolism is rare but deadly if missed. Knowing what it looks like, calling help immediately, and following simple safety steps can save a life.