tuner fish
Contributor
I hold my head in a position as if I were going to kiss a catfish.
Equalize? With head up like a nosebleed or chin down on chest?
- Thread starter Ladyvalea
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It's just wherever I happen to be looking at the time. I don't think it makes much of any difference. I'm almost to the point that I can even equalize without holding my nose, which will be great if I can master it.
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Captain Morgan
Contributor
IMHO, it doesn't matter what position your in so long as your ears equalize. That's essentially what counts. Some ways work best for certain individuals that may not work the same on others. You just have to try different things. Some people have more narrower canal passages, others are more susceptible to ear wax that can block those very passages and create problems equalizing. Sinus problems can interfere as well as something as simple as a deviated septum. The method is not as important as recognizing when you should do it and how often. Like NetDoc says, do it frequently and before any discomfort arises. If the pressure won't release, ascend a few feet and try again. Try some of the methods your fellow SBer's suggest and pick the one that works best for you.
See below
That's it! Look up to equalize. Sometimes if that doesn't work, I look up and turn the affected ear up too the further stretch the Eustachian tube.
Bingo! For nosebleeds I prefer to have people pinch their nostrils and look down to avoid swallowing the blood.
don Francisco
Contributor
It isn't how you equalize, but when. While looking up tends to stretch the euatachian tubes as Net doc said, every diver has his own personal voodoo spin that works for him. So experiment until you find your own secret formula.
Meanwhile the problem that most divers have is that they wait too long. Once there's a pressure differential corresponding to about 6 to 9' feet of depth clearing becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Imagine drinking a very thick milk shake through a straw. (If it's been a long time since you were a kid, go out and buy one) You suck gently and get a drink, no problem. Get a bit greedy and suck too hard and the bottom of the straw clogs, then the outside pressure collapses the straw. From here on the harder you draw the worse it gets. As any experienced kid can tell you, the secret is to blow down, clearing the bottom of the straw then suck gently.
Same for clearing your ears; if the pressure differential is small they'll clear fairly easily with any number of techniques, but descend too far and the external pressure flattens the eustachian tubes leading to rough or no clearing. Go up to reduce the pressure differential and the tubes will open again.
The simple secret is clear fast and descend slow. If you can't clear fast enough, descend slower.
Meanwhile the problem that most divers have is that they wait too long. Once there's a pressure differential corresponding to about 6 to 9' feet of depth clearing becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Imagine drinking a very thick milk shake through a straw. (If it's been a long time since you were a kid, go out and buy one) You suck gently and get a drink, no problem. Get a bit greedy and suck too hard and the bottom of the straw clogs, then the outside pressure collapses the straw. From here on the harder you draw the worse it gets. As any experienced kid can tell you, the secret is to blow down, clearing the bottom of the straw then suck gently.
Same for clearing your ears; if the pressure differential is small they'll clear fairly easily with any number of techniques, but descend too far and the external pressure flattens the eustachian tubes leading to rough or no clearing. Go up to reduce the pressure differential and the tubes will open again.
The simple secret is clear fast and descend slow. If you can't clear fast enough, descend slower.
As net doc has stated, and others have seconded, looking up stretches out your tubes allowing you to clear easier. Also, as net doc said, EARLY AND OFTEN. I find that pretending my mouthpiece is a big wad of gum, and chewing usually works for most people. Another trick to use is put your tongue on the roof of your mouth and jut your jaw forward, but you'll find that no matter what way you use, if not done soon enough, you will have issues clearing. So back to," EARLY AND OFTEN"
Joe
PS. if you do the pinch and blow method,
and you wait to long, and blow to hard,
you run the risk of injuring your inner ear.
Dive safe
Joe
PS. if you do the pinch and blow method,
and you wait to long, and blow to hard,
you run the risk of injuring your inner ear.
Dive safe
NetDoc:
Beat me to it Doc...
That is the answer...I will add...and gently...Well...I had to add something
Just a little equalization story I had just last weekend. One of my students has a unusually narrow right eustation tube. She was in class last Summer and couldn't clear and therefore couldn't get certified. She went to an ENT and he told her about her problem and said he didn't think she would be able to dive, but she was determined and was not going to give up, even with the physicans outlook. She was back again the past 2 weeks...after a whole year...and got down to 20 feet on the jetty we do o/w student dives which is 33 ft' deep. Since she got to 20 feet she could get credit but our CESA is at 33'. I tried to get her to the bottom but she just couldn't clear. We came back up and I got her to practice in 4 feet of water...she couldn't clear. Went to 3 feet...couldn't clear. I finally said...Sara, let's just give it another try. For some reason I felt she could do it. We literally went 2 feet at a time. Low and behold...she was clearing. Two feet by 2 feet we descended the jetty. It took a long time but we finally hit sand. She was ecstatic. We went to the line and she did her CESA flawlessly. When our heads broke the surface I told her to orally inflate her BCD, which she did without a problem. After that, as we were holding onto the buoy line, I said...Congratulations Sara...You are now a certified open water diver. A million dollars wouldn't be worth the look on this young lady's face. All it took was patience. She now knows...2 feet at a time....and head up until her ears become more accustomed to clearing horizontally. As Doc said early and often. I tell you...That is what teaching is all about.
BabyDuck
Contributor
rawls, soon we'll be neighbors - bath is is beaufort co, just craven co between us!
i equalize every breath while descending. usually i can do it head lower than body with head in line. occasionally if i'm heading for a cold or i've been diving lots & my tubes are a little irritated, i have to go a bit head up.
so basically, however you do it is how it needs to be done!
i equalize every breath while descending. usually i can do it head lower than body with head in line. occasionally if i'm heading for a cold or i've been diving lots & my tubes are a little irritated, i have to go a bit head up.
so basically, however you do it is how it needs to be done!
