I think i might be worried... doing open water this weekend

[DivemasterDennis]

I am sure will do great. Here are all my tips for equalizing, many mentioned above, short and sweet:

1. Equalize often
2. In addition to the traditional nose pinching clearing, try these too:
a) exhale through your nose (do this now and then to equalize your mask as well as sinuses and ears)
b) when you are horozontal, roll your head from side to side as you equalize
c) swallow
3. Don't overthink the issue. Don't "wonder" if you are having an ear squeeze- it will be quite obvious.
4. Control your descent- a nice slow pace means everything until you get comfortable with the process.
5. IF you are still having issues, before day 2 consider taking a single little red sudafed as a preventative. My wife and I swear by them- just one, and just the little round red ones, about an hour before your first dive..
6. Relax and have fun.
7. If you have trouble clearing despite all of the above, pause, ascend a foot or two, run through the nose exhale, swallow head turn nose pinch sequence, and then resume a slow descent.
8. Don't force anything. You will descend- take your time.

It is normal to feel the added pressure form water as shallow as a couple of feet. Know that we all deal with pressure equalization, we are all different, and each of us has varying levels of issues at different times. Don't obsess, just pay attention to what your body tells you, and have a really great time! You will love the diving- first time is the best!
DivemasterDennis

[AandK]

Thanks for everyones help. My partner and I did the confined water classes on the weekend and we both equalized relatively easy. The only thing that i noticed was my right ear clears a lot easier than my left. Sometimes my left ear squeaks when clearing. Is this a problem?

[blackvans1234]

Nope, perfectly normal.
Don't be discouraged at all during your OW dives. I couldn't equalize easily until dive number 10 or so. I would never equalize early enough, and have to ascend. Once I got that first pop, everything else went well


You may have to ascend more than ''a few'' feet if you descend too far without equalizing. Or it may just seem like more than a few feet :p

[martinskarin]

Thanks for everyones help. My partner and I did the confined water classes on the weekend and we both equalized relatively easy. The only thing that i noticed was my right ear clears a lot easier than my left. Sometimes my left ear squeaks when clearing. Is this a problem?

My ears make that sound and other sounds all the time, also on ascend. My right ear is mostly harder to equalize, but today it was my left one, some days it is more easy, some more hard.

Sounds like you are doing good!

[bleeb]

The only thing that i noticed was my right ear clears a lot easier than my left. Sometimes my left ear squeaks when clearing. Is this a problem?

This may or may not indicate a potential issue. (Probably doesn't rate being labelled a full-fledged problem.) For some people it is normal. OTOH for most new divers, it's an indication that they're not equalising often enough. It may be squeaking because the pressure differential has cause a partial block, creating a restriction you have to push air through. Personal variations in the shape of your ear passages can make this more or less likely to happen.

Long time SB readers can ignore the following if they've seen it before, but for new divers, consider that above the surface many people feel like clearing their ears riding up and down the elevator in a fifty story building (or less). That's equivalent to only about 8"/20cm of water.

[techrescuediver]

as said before if you are snorkeling you are most likely going down too fast because the lack of air, just take it slow everyone will understand.