Ear Question

[TylerSC]

In the pool I noticed that my ears were equalizing fine - but sometimes all the air was not leaving my outer ear canal. It is better to tilt my head from side to side and get all the air out, or does it not really matter?

Also - how much work it is to equalize on the way up? The Valsalva maneuver won't take care of that, right?

 

[Fish in a Barrel]

I don't have to do anything at all to clear on the way up. That seems pretty typical.

I don't think it matters if there's air in your ear canal. Pressure is pressure.

 

[TSandM]

There is no need to do anything underwater about the external ear canal. After the dive, it may be necessary to manipulate the pinna (outer ear) or tilt your head to drain all the water out of the canal.

In general, there is no need to do anything active to equalize on ascent. The expanding air in the middle ear will usually push the Eustachian tube open and exit. If it can't do that, you have what is called a reverse block. Valsalva, or any other pressurizing maneuver, is the wrong action to take in this case! Instead, try swallowing, moving the jaw from side to side, or jaw thrust to get the canal to open. Severe cases of reverse block can cause eardrum or inner ear damage, which is one of the reasons it's not a good idea to dive with any congestion, because it may get worse during the dive and result in this problem.

 

[Quero]

Tipping your head is okay if that's what feels most comfortable to you. Sometimes one ear clears easier than the other, and tipping the unequalized one towards the surface often seems to help.

You don't need to do anything on the way up in terms of equalizing. The expanding air in the air spaces simply bubbles out on its own. The one thing you have to make sure of while going up is that there is a way for the air to escape. This is why you keep your airway open by breathing normally all the time you are ascending.

 

[DevonDiver]

It would be unusual to experience any difficulties 'clearing' your outer ear canal. It isn't a confined air space, so water pressure will be easily sufficient to 'flood' it upon descent (water pressure being immensely powerful, exerting a further 14.7psi per 10m/33ft descent).

Unless you are wearing a tight hood (that could seal the outer ear canal), or you have a 'plug' of ear-wax obstructing the outer ear canal (leaving an air-pocket behind it against the eardrum), then it is unlikely that any sensation you are feeling is related to the outer ear canal.

If 'tilting' your head seems to make a difference to your ears, it is probably because it is helping to open your Eustacian Tubes...thus equalizing your middle ear.

On ascent, you develop an over-pressure within the middle ear. As the pressure grows, it is sufficient to open the Eustacian Tube and equalize the ear. This has a simular effect to artificially creating an over-pressure (via valsava) to equalize the ear on descent - but in the opposite direction, of course. So, basically, there is no active 'equalisation' needed on ascent. Just be sure to ascend slowly and allow time for the ear to equalise of its own accord as you rise to the surface.