Can you equalize WITHOUT pinching your nose?

[scubadiver888]

I find I have to pinch sometimes but only in the first 20'. Once I'm down below 20' I can just swallow. I live in a REALLY high apartment; about halfway down the elevator I have to clear my ears. I noticed if I pull my ears back (you have to be able to wiggle your ears) and swallow my ears clear. I tried the same thing in water and it works. Maybe you can try wiggling your ears as you swallow.

I'm guessing I still have trouble in the first 20' because the pressure change happens faster so I just have to clear faster in the first 20'. Something to try next time I dive.

 

[firedawgs]

The last couple of dives I have had difficulity equalizing. The only thing that works for me is to turn my head side to side. The cons of doing that is water in the ears.

 

[OceanObsessed]

I can do it on both scuba and freediving. For some reason its a piece of cake on scuba but it is much more difficult for me while freediving. I have to descend so slowly to do it while freediving that it is just not practical for me to use so I typically just pinch my nose and don't bother with it. Once on the bottom, while freediving, if I change depth very gradually I can use BTV effectively. It helps me sometimes to use the forward jaw thrust while pressing my chin against my upper chest.

 

[Damselfish]

swallowing works better for me then pinching my nose.

 

[ligersandtions]

I've had ear issues my whole life....there used to be times after flying that I couldn't get my ears to clear for almost 24 hours. Luckily I've gotten better over my ears (and gotten over my fear of pinching my nose and gently blowing), but I'm not among the lucky ones who can just swallow, wiggle ears, or drop like a rock and do nothing. I'm trying to learn some of the other equalizing techniques to see if they work better for me, but haven't perfected anything yet.

 

[CJM]

I was told as you equalize more often and actually use the Eustachian tube more your ears will get easier to equalize sometimes without even pinching your nose .

 

[Bottomfeeder Brodie]

with a slight jaw movement I can hear my breathing in my ears and can head on down without having to do anything. Sinus probs as a kid teach us cool tricks.

 

[TMHeimer]

Yup, I can. It's hard to describe .. there's no wiggling or swallowing for me. I just flex my inner-ear muscles (I don't know a better way to say it) and they're clear. The coolest part is that it's second nature now, so I don't even have to think about it. I just go down and don't worry about equalizing. When I consciously try to do it, I can hear myself breathing, especially when I breathe through my nose.

Works on planes too...

Yes. You have described it perfectly. I try to explain this to my wife, but I can't explain it well enough for her to do it (she doesn't dive, but on planes, etc.). One way to explain this thing, I think, is to have someone yawn. At the "peak" of the yawn something happens in your eardrum area (thoses muscles, as you said). They seem to go "in" a bit, sometimes resulting in a very faint "crackling" inside. If one can capture that momentary feeling, that is equalizing. I found that it also works to block out big noises, such as a noisy truck passing you while walking on the road. Plugging your ears without your fingers, so to speak. You find that "spot" and hold thoses muscles that way until the noisy truck passes.

 

[Dtaine]

Yes. You have described it perfectly. I try to explain this to my wife, but I can't explain it well enough for her to do it (she doesn't dive, but on planes, etc.). One way to explain this thing, I think, is to have someone yawn. At the "peak" of the yawn something happens in your eardrum area (thoses muscles, as you said). They seem to go "in" a bit, sometimes resulting in a very faint "crackling" inside. If one can capture that momentary feeling, that is equalizing. I found that it also works to block out big noises, such as a noisy truck passing you while walking on the road. Plugging your ears without your fingers, so to speak. You find that "spot" and hold thoses muscles that way until the noisy truck passes.

Why are you reviving so many old threads?!?

 

[ItMustBeJames]

Yes. You have described it perfectly. I try to explain this to my wife, but I can't explain it well enough for her to do it (she doesn't dive, but on planes, etc.). One way to explain this thing, I think, is to have someone yawn. At the "peak" of the yawn something happens in your eardrum area (thoses muscles, as you said). They seem to go "in" a bit, sometimes resulting in a very faint "crackling" inside. If one can capture that momentary feeling, that is equalizing. I found that it also works to block out big noises, such as a noisy truck passing you while walking on the road. Plugging your ears without your fingers, so to speak. You find that "spot" and hold thoses muscles that way until the noisy truck passes.

Yes! Precisely!