nose breather

[Ahren Belisle]

Due to a disability, I can't really seal my mouth. I am a nose breather through and through. Do scuba diving places usually have a face mask or something? Could i still do it? It's something I've always wanted to do- I'm going to the Dominican and I'd like to do it.

My concern with buying a mask is that it likely wouldn't get used often at all, and if there is a problem and i need to share another person's tank, I'm kind of screwed. Perhaps if i use nose plugs, I could breathe through my mouth, but i'm not confident about it.

Thoughts?

 

[Akimbo]

Have you looked a the FFMs (Full Face Mask) on the market? They are expensive but most include the second stage regulator.

Except in the most physically limited cases it is important to master a standard regulator and half-mask (covering eyes and nose) even if you normally use a FFM.

 

[Skittl1321]

I think it will be rare for you to find many places that rent full face masks. (Though maybe you have a local shop that could rent it to you, and you can travel with it.)

I also am not sure how many places will do your initial certification on a full face mask, as I think the emergency procedure for that mask is to go to a regular mask, so you would need to be able to do it as well.

I'd recommend trying regular scuba equipment in a pool. It's possible you will be able to use it. I do not have any medical issues, but am a pretty well confirmed nose breather. Snorkeling is incredibly difficult for me, because on the surface I feel like I am suffocating when my nose is covered. But I do well on SCUBA. I do all my exhaling through my nose. Only the inhale is through the mouth. But I'm not sure what you mean by seal your mouth, so I can't really picture how that would effect a regulator.

 

[Ahren Belisle]

I think it will be rare for you to find many places that rent full face masks. (Though maybe you have a local shop that could rent it to you, and you can travel with it.)

I also am not sure how many places will do your initial certification on a full face mask, as I think the emergency procedure for that mask is to go to a regular mask, so you would need to be able to do it as well.

I'd recommend trying regular scuba equipment in a pool. It's possible you will be able to use it. I do not have any medical issues, but am a pretty well confirmed nose breather. Snorkeling is incredibly difficult for me, because on the surface I feel like I am suffocating when my nose is covered. But I do well on SCUBA. I do all my exhaling through my nose. Only the inhale is through the mouth. But I'm not sure what you mean by seal your mouth, so I can't really picture how that would effect a regulator.

I have poor oral motor skills, so when you drink from a cup, you "seal" your lips around the edge.. I can't physically do that. I can't make a "seal". my best attempt at closing my lips can be separated extremely easy by a wooden tongue pusher.
If you're going underwater, you likely "seal" your lips around the tube you breathe out of- I can't really do that.
I suppose i'll just have to try in the pool- usually that is free @ the resorts

 

[RJP]

Can you sip hot soup/coffee/tea from a cup? (without snorting any of it up your nose)

Can you blow out birthday candles? (without blowing s**t all over the cake)

If so, you can breathe from a scuba regulator.

PS - you cannot plug your nose, as you will need to exhale through your nose on occasion to equalize the pressure in your mask.)

---------- Post added September 22nd, 2014 at 02:40 PM ----------

my best attempt at closing my lips can be separated extremely easy by a wooden tongue pusher.

You're in luck! It's unlikely anyone will try to use a tongue depressor to pry your regulator out of your mouth.

:d

But seriously, you really don't need to form a strong seal around the regs mouthpiece. Doing so accomplishes nothing other than causing fatigue of your mouth.

Though designs vary slightly, all scuba reg mouthpieces have some sort of "bite" piece that helps you hold the reg in your mouth with your teeth. I'm partial to the Atomic mouthpiece myself. You simply hold it (loosely) with your teeth.

Best regards,

Ray Purkis

 

[tbone1004]

there are also seacure mouthpieces and my personal favorite is the Apeks Comfobite. I dive Poseidons so can't use them, but they are on all of my stage regs.

If you can drink out of a straw, you will have no problem on scuba. There isn't much if any "seal" going on. If you are concerned, you might be able to post your location and meet up with someone. All it takes is filling up a bathtub with water or going to the edge of a pool and putting your face in to see if you can inhale and exhale properly. If you can it's a nonissue since there is really no pressure going on with the regs. Mine usually just kind of hang out relaxed around the mouthpiece, no pressure at all.

Once you get certified and if you can figure out if it works for you, then FFM's aren't cheap, but they might make your experience much better. About $1500 will get you a non-com full face mask with backup second stage and a first stage. Lot of money, but not the worst thing in the world. There are a lot of unique challenges with FFM's that do require proper training, but they are quite nice for a lot of diving.

 

[blinkswiler]

Your OW class will require mask off and reg recovery skills using a standard mask/reg setup. Full Face Masks are not use in recreational dive training. I use one for search and rescue but for my classes and students, its the good old regular mask and reg. and yes full face masks are expensive but have many benefits and drawbacks as well. Rarely seen in recreational diving.

Most dive shops locally will do a Discover Scuba program to try it in a confined water environment, usually a pool. Suggest you contact a local shop for a trial.

 

[TMHeimer]

I use a mouthpiece that was molded to my teeth (the reason being I almost had the normal one blown out of my mouth in a current once). This may or may not help you with the sealing problem. It's like one you'd use to prevent teeth grinding when sleeping. You do the mold yourself and I don't think it was too expensive.

 

[fnfalman]

Your OW class will require mask off and reg recovery skills using a standard mask/reg setup. Full Face Masks are not use in recreational dive training. I use one for search and rescue but for my classes and students, its the good old regular mask and reg. and yes full face masks are expensive but have many benefits and drawbacks as well. Rarely seen in recreational diving.

Most dive shops locally will do a Discover Scuba program to try it in a confined water environment, usually a pool. Suggest you contact a local shop for a trial.

Full face mask is generally not used in recreational diving training. It doesn't mean that it can't be done.

My suggestion to the OP is to try out some conventional regulators first via visiting a local dive shop. If that doesn't work then talk to them about full face mask usage in both training and afterward.

 

[DukeAMO]

The standard scuba/snorkel mask will let you breathe out through your nose, but it won't let you breathe *in* through your nose because the nose pocket is sealed.

Are you a decent swimmer? Ever tried snorkeling? How did it go?

Here are a couple of things you can try cheaply and easily, to see if you can master the airway control you'll need:

Borrow or buy a snorkel and mask, and bring a friend to the pool to help out and supervise everything.
* Snorkel around the pool, wearing the mask and breathing through the snorkel. You should hold the snorkel mouthpiece gently with your teeth, not really with your lips.
* Standing with your face submerged, take a deep breath through the snorkel, remove the snorkel, put it back in, and blow air out hard to clear it. Then take a careful little breath in through the snorkel to make sure you get air instead of water. Clear the snorkel again if there's still a little water left in there. (Scuba regulators are actually easier to clear than a snorkel.)
* Standing with your face submerged, breathing through the snorkel, flood the mask a little by breaking the seal at the top, then hold the top of the mask onto your face and breathe out through your nose to clear the water out of your mask.
* If that's easy, flood the mask completely before clearing it with your nose.

If you can do those things, I would try a Discover Scuba class to see how it suits you. You'll need your doctor's permission to do a Discover Scuba with a disability. You can get the doctor's permission form from any dive shop or online. Discover Scuba will require you to be able to take your regulator out, find it, put it back in and clear it underwater. They will also require you to clear a flooded mask using your nose. The snorkel skills above are practically the same skills.

To get open water scuba certified, you'll also need to be able to do something similar to:
* Snorkel with no mask on at all (just hold the snorkel above water), or wear swim goggles instead of a mask so your nose is not covered. This is similar to the scuba mask-removal skills. You have to avoid breathing in through your nose to do this. It's easier for some than for others, but most people can get the hang of it.
* Remove the snorkel (regulator), replace it, and clear it several times while swimming.

If you can do all of those things with a snorkel, you should be just fine with the scuba airway control skills.