"clearing" ears? Other noob questions as well

[friscuba]

So, I have never dived before. But I have noticed that if in a pool i drop below 10 feet my ears start to hurt a little bit. I have no problem dropping down and staying down, other than pain in my ears. Is there a solution to this?

Others have mentioned clearing methods, but the solution is...

EARLY AND OFTEN

So many people wait too long to begin clearing. There is enough water pressure at 3.5-4 feet of depth to shut off most people's eustacian tubes, this is enough to make it difficult to clear without risking some pain or even damage.

You should clear your ears immediately once they are underwater and then from there it varies from individual to individual, but at least every 3 feet or so and possibly more often. When my vog (we have an active volcano where I live) allergies are acting up I have to equalize every foot or two 'til I'm at depth.

If you can clear your ears at 3 inches below the surface of the water, you can clear your ears at 100 feet... as long as you clear your ears often enough on your way down. As you descend the need to clear becomes somewhat less frequent than when near the surface because the greatest percent of pressure change is at or near the surface.

If you wait too long, you will have to struggle to clear. Not good.

I would not let your pool experience with your ears deter you from trying to dive.

Aloha,

 

[digitale]

I would reccommend getting your OW class under your belt first. Then think about your gear. You'll need to buy fins, mask, and snorkel for the class. (I say go cheap on the snorkel... you may never wear it after your OW.) The mask is all about the fit and the fins depend on your legs. If you plan on diving in the NE, you'll probably want to dive in a drysuit, and you'll want to rent one of those for a bit before buying. Talk to your shop. Some shops offer try before you buy programs (rent cost is applied to a later purchase), and you should try to buy from your local shop if possible. NE diving is not cheap, but its worth it!

 

[rainmaker]

I'm a new diver (got my cert in Feb.), and I don't want to exceed my "skill level" in trying to answer a few of your questions.

However, I've had problems equalizing ear pressure since I got in the pool. When I equalize now, I've found that it is much easier to do with my head back (rather than forward). I believe the reason is that the Eustachian tubes tend to open when your head is back, and they close a bit when your head is forward.


Another thing that has helped me is exhaling, clamping my nose shut, and swallowing (tip from an old diver). However, what works for one person may not work for another. If you have problems equalizing, keep at it and talk with as many experienced divers as possible.

Bottom line; I take my time when descending and equalizing, and I don't let anyone rush me.

Concerning expenses, I have spent about $3,000 on top quality recreational dive gear (this includes an UW camera) in the last 3 months. My SDI certification course cost $224 and that included everything except a $10 donation for boat expenses for the cert dives.

 

[Bibendum]

Just like any hobby, plan to spend way more money than you ever thought possible (for you non-brewers reading this, a few thousand dollars to make ten gallons of great beer is normal), but scuba is well worth every penny!

A few thousand dollars!!! What kind of beer are you brewing!? Can I try some?

As an avid home brewer who is curently taking my OW class, I can tell you that you will not come close to spending as much on brewing as you will on SCUBA....unless of course you are setting up a full custom made home gravity system to brew with.

Yes, there is an initial cost for your a decent brew system, including glass carboys, costing you maybe $150. Then figure about $30 - $40 total for the standard 5 gal. mini-mash method per brew session vs. $80 in rental gear per dive trip, assuming you are shore diving, more if you go on a boat (then add in the cost of your personal gear and class, gas for the car, parking at the dive location.....etc.).

Although, I suppose if you dive very little and brew A LOT you might come close in costs.

Try and Discover SCUBA class, see what you think and go from there. I was worried about the ear issue as well, but they teach how effective methods for dealing with it.

 

[lord1234]

hahaha you are so off bibendum...i am taking OW that costs me 300...buying the BC and wetsuit for roughly 300ish...thats 600...i am selling off all my homebrew stuff for roughly 650ish...
if you want to see what I mean by stuff check my craigslist post
http://boston.craigslist.org/for/72264108.html
lots of stuff

 

[Bibendum]

hahaha you are so off bibendum...i am taking OW that costs me 300...buying the BC and wetsuit for roughly 300ish...thats 600...i am selling off all my homebrew stuff for roughly 650ish...
if you want to see what I mean by stuff check my craigslist post
http://boston.craigslist.org/for/72264108.html
lots of stuff

Yeah, that's cause you have the serious home brew set up I can only dream of!

 

[snorkelcorey]

Hi, every body, Snorklel Corey here. I have a question that is diving related to my health. I signed up for the next Discover Scuba course here in Moncton. And, I recently had Tubes put in to my ears, and I had some Cartiledge removed from my nose. Would that stop me from taking the course? I had that done back in Febuary. I still want to try diving. I haven't told the Ear, Nose and Throat Specallist about this plan I have yet, because I'm afraid she'll say no to me. Any kind of reply would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Corey

 

[divenut2001]

Hi, every body, Snorklel Corey here. I have a question that is diving related to my health. I signed up for the next Discover Scuba course here in Moncton. And, I recently had Tubes put in to my ears, and I had some Cartiledge removed from my nose. Would that stop me from taking the course? I had that done back in Febuary. I still want to try diving. I haven't told the Ear, Nose and Throat Specallist about this plan I have yet, because I'm afraid she'll say no to me. Any kind of reply would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Corey

Inform your Dr. "and" the LDS where you'll be taking the disc scuba class.

 

[DiverEMT]

Hi, every body, Snorklel Corey here. I have a question that is diving related to my health. I signed up for the next Discover Scuba course here in Moncton. And, I recently had Tubes put in to my ears, and I had some Cartiledge removed from my nose. Would that stop me from taking the course? I had that done back in Febuary. I still want to try diving. I haven't told the Ear, Nose and Throat Specallist about this plan I have yet, because I'm afraid she'll say no to me. Any kind of reply would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Corey

With any health related issue and diving you should always, always, always talk to you doctor before you start diving. (as with any sport) It's very important to have your doc in on your plans to keep you as healthy as possible and avoid any injuries. Another place you can get information is www.scuba-doc.com. There is some really interesting articles on there, but don't take that as medical advice, just information. If you doctor says you shouldn't dive then you should listen to her. I don't know a lot about tubes (I work in EMS) but, I would hate to hear later that something bad happened to you. I have asthma and I had to actually go see my doctor for a check up and have an additional health form filled out by my doctor that was required from my LDS where I took my class. It's important that you tell them about your condition as well so they can work with you to make sure you learn proper techniques and that they can help you out if you're having a problem.
Best of luck!

 

[redrover]

Hi, every body, Snorklel Corey here. I have a question that is diving related to my health. I signed up for the next Discover Scuba course here in Moncton. And, I recently had Tubes put in to my ears, and I had some Cartiledge removed from my nose. Would that stop me from taking the course? I had that done back in Febuary. I still want to try diving. I haven't told the Ear, Nose and Throat Specallist about this plan I have yet, because I'm afraid she'll say no to me. Any kind of reply would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Corey

Snorkelcorey,

Please discuss your plans with your doctor.