Clearing and blockage

[krfoote]

Tanks everyone, i havent been diving yet since i posted but i have tested a few of the tips and they seem to work for me so i think it will help!

 

[The_DivePirate]

Here's my trick (it's a good one, get ready!):

Pre-pressurize your ears. It gives a new meaning to equalizing early....when I'm on my way to the dive site, I plug my nose and blow gently until I feel my ears pressurize. While I'm gearing up, I do it again. On my surface swim, I do it again. Just before I descend, I do it again....just after my head goes beneath the surface, I do it again. By that point, my eustacian tubes are ready to roll.

Before I started doing the pre-pressurization method, I'd spend 5+ minutes trying to get down to 30 feet, while everyone else just waited for me. Now that I've figured out my "trick", I haven't had any issues. I continue to equalize often on my descent, but it's not been an issue for me to get to depth in a reasonable amount of time in the last 50+ dives.

This is what I do myself and tell my student's. It definately brings a new meaning to early and often. It works for me.
Good luck

DP

 

[boulderjohn]

Here are some additions for you...

As for the recommendation for using a sinus medication, it is very commonly done. Sudafed is very popular for this. DAN has studied this and said that for the purpose of making your normal air passages more open to clearing, it is generally OK provided that you know you can take it without side effects. PADI's statement about this in OW training is not to take such medications if you have a cold because they can wear off and lead to a reverse block. That is consistent with the DAN research. (Please note that I am not making a presonal recommendation. I myself do not do this because I don't need to generally and because I am indeed leery of side effects.)

I don't need any help clearing my ears simply because I do it a whole lot. When I was a new diver, though, I had a very hard time with it. If you dive a lot, your ears will eventually adjust as mine did.

To help that happen, when you think of that good advice to equalize early, extend early to now, while you are reading this. Practice, practice, practice while you are watching TV or doing just about anything. Eventually your ears will get the idea as mine did and become more receptive to pressure changes.

 

[The_DivePirate]

Good point, try other method's besides the ol pinch and blow. I guess I don't even think about it anymore, but I catch myself constanly clearing my ears these days.
DP

 

[daniel1948]

A dive shop owner told me to clear my ears several times a day (the more the better) beginning as long as possible before the trip (i.e. now) to "exercise" the eustachian tubes. He said this would make them more flexible and better able to open when necessary. The advice makes sense. I took the advice and had no trouble on the subsequent trip (my second) whereas I had had a lot of trouble on the one before (my first).

 

[texasaubiefan]

Good advice from everybody except for taking meds. I know divers that swear by them and have never had issues. Much of the time they may seem to help, but do you want to risk a reverse block? Those aren't pretty and I've seen them happen. I have occasional problems and have found clearing before the dive begins at the surface really helps and to just go very very slow. Sometimes even that doesn't work and I just end the dive. No biggie. I know from experience that you don't want to force it....ever. As you dive more, you'll start picking up on what works for best for you.