Ear Equalisation
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Pyramid65
Contributor
13' is my number (checked my gauge each time)...that's when it hits me...blew too hard this last time and ended up with "Taco Bell ear"...on the left side, went to the doc and I have no damage just fluid built up in the middle ear, hence the muffled hearing on that side...pinch and blow doesn't work for me so I've switched to the swallow from now on, once I'm cleared at that depth deeper there is no problems, it just happens...there are 7 or 8 ways to clear, I did a Google search and found a video from a guy outta UW (not sure if it's the one posted) some are more involved than others but if one way doesn't work try another
TatianaSilva
Registered
Well when i equalise my ears , usually only one, makes a kind of pop sound and hear 100 better .... this has happened to me since i was a kid , and usually its quite annoying so i try to avoid doing, unless im diving.
---------- Post added July 9th, 2014 at 09:14 AM ----------
ill start swallowing instead , see what happens
---------- Post added July 9th, 2014 at 09:14 AM ----------
ill start swallowing instead , see what happens
This.
I ruptured my ear drum two weeks ago. Nothing like the sensation of your inner ear being flooded with water and getting instant vertigo.
TatianaSilva
Registered
This.
I ruptured my ear drum two weeks ago. Nothing like the sensation of your inner ear being flooded with water and getting instant vertigo.
are you recovered already? does it happens when you cant equalise?
My injury was caused by a lack of understanding of the inner ear anatomy and improper and overuse of the valsalva maneuver. I literally blew a hole in my ear drum. I'm nearly recovered - no more ooze coming out of my ear. The larger injuries may require surgery, but thankfully the ear drum can usually heal itself. It was not painful when it ruptured, or when my inner ear flooded with water, but rather after I got home about two hours later. Then it was an 8 or 9 on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the most pain I've ever been in in my entire life.
I highly suggest reading and watching the information on Dr. Kay's website. He provides multiple techniques to equalize. -- Edit: Apparently you have.
Good luck!
The larger injuries may require surgery, but thankfully the ear drum can usually heal itself. It was not painful when it ruptured, or when my inner ear flooded with water, but rather after I got home about two hours later. Then it was an 8 or 9 on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the most pain I've ever been in in my entire life.I highly suggest reading and watching the information on Dr. Kay's website. He provides multiple techniques to equalize. -- Edit: Apparently you have.
Good luck!
Becca65
Contributor
going to have to watch the videos - I seem to have a lot of trouble between the surface and about 10-15 feet - after that if I stay down there it's not a big deal - just lightly blow and I hear a "pop". I seem to have trouble in one ear more than the other - but that ear is different on each dive - never the same one over and over. Although my left seems to "hold" water longer than my right - even using swimmer's ear drops my left still feels like it has water in it a week after my dive. I do tend to swallow when diving but so far that hasn't helped my ears - next time will try holding my nose while I swallow. Twice I've blown too hard trying to equalize and ended up with a bit of a bloody nose - once during class and once after certification with just hubby and I diving in a lake. It's very frustrating when I can't clear my ears - I try to stop before it is painful and go up a little and try again. I have been equalizing even before my head is fully underwater - seems to help a little sometimes - so you're saying to do it even on land even on days when you're not diving? I can pinch my nose and blow but don't hear anything - is it still helping?
Tigerman
Contributor
The video link in my signature is a bit long, but worth watching - it should explain everything you need to know and a bit more quite well if you havent already watched it..
"The divers ear": Doc's Diving Medicine Home Page
"The divers ear": Doc's Diving Medicine Home Page
DukeAMO
Contributor
If it was actually water in your outer ear, it would dry up within a day or so. You more likely have barotrauma in your ear in this case, which can feel and sound like water in your ear for a week or so. Watch the videos and you'll learn a lot! Also, you should go to an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist (ENT) next time this happens, to make sure that's what it is.
Buadhai
Contributor
My wife watched lots of videos, looked at many websites in both English and Thai (her native language), spent time with a snorkel in her mouth around the house to learn how to swallow with her mouth open, etc., etc. I think she's finally got it.
None of the alternatives to the Valsalva maneuver worked for her. She never got to the point where she could swallow with the regulator in her mouth.
But, she now knows how to perform Valsalva early and often during a dive and is able to dive without pain and without any post-dive problems.
She learned this over four days of diving off a live aboard out of Phuket this last week. I was with her at the beginning of every dive and encouraged her to go slowly, not descend with any discomfort and not to worry about how long it was taking to equalize.
It was very satisfying to see her make this sort of progress in a relatively short length of time.
None of the alternatives to the Valsalva maneuver worked for her. She never got to the point where she could swallow with the regulator in her mouth.
But, she now knows how to perform Valsalva early and often during a dive and is able to dive without pain and without any post-dive problems.
She learned this over four days of diving off a live aboard out of Phuket this last week. I was with her at the beginning of every dive and encouraged her to go slowly, not descend with any discomfort and not to worry about how long it was taking to equalize.
It was very satisfying to see her make this sort of progress in a relatively short length of time.
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