How far down can YOU go before you need to equalize?

[Progen]

Ok, let's hear it from the divers here because I went snorkelling in a diving pool last night and found it weird that I could happily and comfortably go down to 5 metres without having to equalize but I have been swimming in that very same pool before and it sure hurt like hell when I went down to the bottom with just a diving mask and fins. I did it about 5 - 6 times and didn't feel the need to equalize at all. Didn't hurt, didn't feel uncomfortable. My hearing's fine and I'm not sick. Should I be worried?

 

[tkevcu]

I've never tried to see how far I could go before I had problems. So far, I've always equalized before I felt any discomfort.

 

[spectrum]

Progen,

It is possile for many people to equalize without any special procedure. if your air passages are clear it my just take a swallow or twist of the neck to let air pass. This probably explains the times you go to to 5 meters without the need to "equalize".

Personally, I can feel the need around 6 feet and want to start the poscocess before 8-10'.

As tkevcu mentioned starting early and staying ahead of it is the way to stay safe and descend predictably. Once it's unconfortable you're working aginst things.

Pete

 

[Ayisha]

I've never tried to see how far I could go without equalizing, either. I always equalize before going down just to make sure I can and to make it easier on the way down. I then equalize very regularly all the way down before feeling any discomfort. I wouldn't want to risk injury or abort the dive due to pushing it and causing discomfort/pain.

 

[Paladin]

10 to 15 feet

 

[Nemrod]

All the way to the bottom.

N

 

[TMHeimer]

My only big worry when taking OW was if my ears would hurt. Having snorkelled for decades with "closed" ear plugs, I hurt at maybe 8 feet. After being certified, I no longer had worries. I equalize without any effort-- no nose blow, jaws movement, etc. I do it internally. I rarely have to swallow unless I'm shooting down the anchor line real fast to 100+ feet. Some of us are just blessed.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Barotrauma can occur without pain. Be careful testing your tolerances. Your body may respond differently day to day. When teaching freediving was my bread and butter job a couple times when I was just starting to surface dive I caught water in my ears just the right way to "plug" them and suffered slight injuries about a body length below the surface. I had to cancel class for the day and take an NSAID to teach the next day.

Equalization usually needs to be done more often in shallow water due to the greatest pressure differentials, but you'd be surprised how far you can go before feeling the need in deep water 150+. Don't push your ears. Try to anticipate equalization and do so often during descent. My ears pop easily on their own most of the time, but I'll do the Valsalva the maneuver (pinch nose/blow) which always worked best for me every couple of feet. I've had days where I felt no discomfort during descents freediving and scuba diving and still managed to tweak an ear. The discomfort appeared after the fact.

Most people tolerate the pressures in the bottoms of 12 foot deep pools.

 

[Progen]

All the way to the bottom.

N

Now how deep is that, Aquaman?

Anyway, I wasn't trying to be a smart arse and spoil my eardrums. Was actually going just 1 metre every once in a while to practice skindiving. Then when I was at the side of the pool, I played a bit going straight down, feet first and noticed I could go at least 2/3 without needing to equalize which I found weird since this wasn't my first time in that pool and I sure as hell had sore jaws from previous visits without equalizing.

When I found that it didn't hurt at all and neither was there the least bit of discomfort, I tried going deeper and deeper until I could touch the bottom. Thought at first it had to be something about me going straight down feet first so I dove head first (at an angle) and it didn't hurt too.

 

[James R]

I think it's a silly thing to even try. I start equalizing as soon as my head is underwater. I don't wait for my ears to tell me they need it, and as a result I don't have any problems equalizing.