Right Side Equalizes before Left Side?

[Scubadaddy]

As the title states, my right ear always 'pops' much earlier than my left. When doing the valsalva method, my right ear will pop right away, I have to push real hard to get my left one to do the same.

Does this matter? Am I normal ???

TIA for any replies.

 

[annasea]

I'm no doctor but I'd be worried about the "push real hard" bit. Personally, I can equalize my right ear with the Valsalva but rarely to never my left. Instead, I've learned to push my tongue against the roof of my mouth and swallow, leaving my nose out of it. This method is a bit of work at the beginning of a dive with a dry mouth, but both ears always equalize. There's a link to a video on equalizing that I'm sure someone will post soon.

 

[Clammy]

Well... I equalize unevenly AND I equalize through my eyes!!! (I can feel the air coming out of the corner of my eyes!!!)... so I wouldn't worry except for the pushing real hard. You shouldn't have to get red in the face or anything to do it. Since I tend to have some equalization problems sometimes, I'll start the valsalva before my head even gets submerged, that way I equalize as I go and don't have to worry about fighting a lot of back pressure.

 

[jldodd]

Try to avoid pushing real hard... that can cause a serious inner ear injury. Instead, next time you go down, try tilting your head putting the side up that you have trouble equalizing. Next push your jaw forward and then perform the Valsalva. Tilting your head and pushing out your jaw helps to open the eustation tube that is giving you trouble and should make it a lot easier to equalize that ear.

 

[fisheater]

Try stretching out your neck on your left side. Likely, your left Eustachian tube is a bit kinked.

Like the others said, BEWARE of using too much force. It's much better to use more time than more force. Just do a moderate pressure and hold it, stretching your neck around to allow the pressure to travel up the tube.

 

[Scubadaddy]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not pushing extremely hard, its just that my right ear pops much easier than the left one. I'll be doing my open water dives within the next couple of weeks so I'll have the chance to try this deeper than 8 feet

 

[Clammy]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not pushing extremely hard, its just that my right ear pops much easier than the left one. I'll be doing my open water dives within the next couple of weeks so I'll have the chance to try this deeper than 8 feet

Well the largest change in (air) volume happens within the first atmosphere. So generally, you will have this problem the most within the first 10-20 feet. As you go deeper, it'll actually be easier provided that you have already equalized properly 33ft and above.

Remember that this same change in air volume in reverse creates the biggest danger in that same shallow depth!

 

[donnad]

just to help put you at ease maybe........my left ear clears easily, my right sometimes takes a little longer, but it will clear, i just have to be a little patient sometimes. try sort of yawning and wiggling your jaw (yes, this is kinda hard with a regulator in your mouth), but just gently coax that ear along. if you can get it to clear on the surface before you even begin your descent, you are better off. try yawning, etc. right before you start descent. never push hard to equalize though, you'll just damage your ear. i figure my right eustachian tube may be a little skinnier, or angled differently or something......whatever. but i can always get it to work, just sometimes takes a couple minutes.

 

[waytooslow]

my left goes before right as well go figure

 

[Paco II]

Without getting too 'icky', I too had a problem with uneven equalization. After going to an ear doctor to look into it, it turned out that one ear had quite a bit of wax in it, and this was the cause of the issue. Once that was cleared out, issue was gone.