 The symptoms of narcosis may be caused by other factors during a dive : ear problems causing disorientation or nausea ; early signs of oxygen toxicity causing visual disturbances ; or hypothermia causing rapid breathing and shivering . Nevertheless , the presence of any of these symptoms should imply narcosis . Alleviation of the effects upon ascending to a shallower depth will confirm the diagnosis . Given the setting , other likely conditions do not produce reversible effects . In the rare event of misdiagnosis when another condition is causing the symptoms , the initial management – ascending closer to the surface – is still essential . 
