hello - difficulty equalising

[a22shady]

Watch this video it should help with your equalizing problems. It did for me and my girlfriend. How it seems is that most people's technique is whats wrong. They are afriad to put enough pressure needed to actually equalize. and one Big thing is actually equalize/Pressurize your ears just before you begin your descent

Doc's Diving Medicine Home Page

 

[Blue Sparkle]

I have had difficultly equalizing. My first pool dive day we had to postpone some activities until afternoon, because I couldn't get down to 14 feet. At that point I thought "Uh-oh."

However, I always have been able to equalize and dive, but it was more "Geez, I hope this isn't going to take me forever while my buddy or a group waits."

Just before I went on my last dive trip (I'm still a greenhorn - this trip was dives 9-17 for me), I read a tip in a link from this board (thanks TSandM), and although I can't say whether or not it was coincidence, I did not have the same trouble equalizing on this trip as I did in the past. Sure, once or twice I had to ascend a tiny bit before continuing, but mostly I was just able to steadily descend (equalizing along the way but not having to stop or go at a snail's pace).

The tip was to "pre-inflate" your Eustachian tubes, by simply equalizing on the surface, while your head is still out of the water, and then submerging and (continuing to) equalize along the way.

I don't have a history of ear problems, so maybe this won't be the magic bullet for you, but... can't hurt to try

Note that the equalizing on the surface is not a forceful one; just the same gentleish type you use underwater. I didn't try to "pop" my ears on the surface, but just to get some air into the Eustachian tubes and get them "pre-inflated" before the pressure got to them.

B.

 

[TSandM]

Another excellent resource of which I was just made aware is THIS excellent piece from DAN.

 

[mikebwd]

usually doctors dont advise you take sudafed.
call or email DAN with your question
good luck
dive safe

 

[idocsteve]

usually doctors dont advise you take sudafed.
call or email DAN with your question
good luck
dive safe

Should everyone email DAN with their questions rather than posting them here on ScubaBoard?

If so I have a question

Why is there a ScubaBoard in the first place?

Maybe I should have asked DAN this question?

Ooops that's two questions.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Hi all
I am new to this board so apologies if my question is in the wrong place!
When diving I often have difficulty equalising. I can always descend to full depth eventually and complete the dive, however it sometimes takes a while and can be painful.
I spoke to a dive doctor about this and I am sure that she suggested taking a decongestant before diving but this was a while ago and I can't quite remember! Can anyone advise? And if this is correct - is it better to take a liquid or tablet form decongestant and how long before diving?
Sometimes I am fine and can descend quickly but more often than not have problems and I hate to feel like I am holding up my buddy and sometimes the guide - also would rather use my air at depth rather than a couple of metres under!
Thanks in advance

What you are describing is quite common with new divers. You are beginning to utilize muscles you haven't used very much ... and like any muscle the more you exercise it, the more proficient it becomes at doing what you want it to do.

The answer is to equalize early and often. Begin by equalizing before you leave the surface. Then, as you descend, don't wait till you feel discomfort or pain ... as soon as you can sense pressure in your ears, equalize ... typically every 3 or 4 feet. If you have difficulty, stop and try again. If you still can't equalize, go up a foot or two and try again. Don't continue down to the point where it becomes uncomfortable ... and certainly not to the point of pain. That only makes it harder to equalize.

Descending isn't a race. Make sure you tell your dive buddy about your issue, and that you'll need extra time getting down. Almost every experienced diver understands the issue ... we've all either been there or dived with people who have. As long as your dive buddy understands ahead of time, there's no reason not to take your time and arrive at the bottom comfortably.

As you continue to dive, the problem will generally improve and possibly go away altogether. Some people do have chronic clearing issues, but most commonly it's simply another skill that requires practice.

The use of decongestants can help ... but as others have already indicated, they also come with risks. You really DON'T WANT to find out what a reverse block is like ... because eventually you have to come up, even if it hurts like the dickens. Best to avoid that risk if necessary and see if you can work through the problem without the use of decongestants.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Crush]

Hi dib-dab,

I am pretty sure that decongestant is a bad idea. This might help:

Re-posted from http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/new-divers-those-considering-diving/304591-ear-wax-2.html

I too have problems equalizing - in chatting with other divers, I have realized that pretty much everyone else can equalize better and faster than I can. I might offer a few suggestions:

1. Respect your ears - you don't want to end up deaf;
2. I use a combination of the Valsalva maneuver (closing your mouth, pinching your nose, and forcing an exhalation) *while* thrusting my jaw forward and wiggling it from side to side. I make sure to press my tongue into my front teeth to get it (and saliva) away from my Eustacean tubes;
3. Begin equalizing while still on shore and not geared up - a nice light "pop" will reassure you and help you to equalize better once you enter the water. It may also cut down on your stress;
4. Start equalizing at only a few feet. Go down slow and keep equalizing;
4. KEEP YOUR EARS HEALTHY. Despite my comments 2--4 above, I still think that my eardrum probably gets more stressed and stretched than the average person. This may create micro areas of susceptibility to infection. After each day of diving I put eardrops into each ear made of 1/3 rubbing alcohol, 1/3 vinegar, and 1/3 water so as to inhibit bacterial growth.

 

[tight rope walker]

Hi, My wife had the same problem and this is how we cured it.

This is the procedure I have been doing since I started diving,

The moment my face hits the water, I start equalizing. Gently at first, and then I increase my effort as I go deeper. I do not wait for the first sign of pressure increase or discomfort.

The moment my wife adopted this procedure, her problems ended.

Remember, the moment your face hits the water, and you are just starting your decent, start equalizing. I think this early introduction of pressure gets your ears ready for what's to follow.

At least it works for us.

 

[Kryssa]

I am also new and have an ear question-

Is pinching your nose and swallowing another substitute for pinching your nose and blowing?

 

[tight rope walker]

I am also new and have an ear question-

Is pinching your nose and swallowing another substitute for pinching your nose and blowing?

Hi, I know swallowing works on a plane to equalize pressure, but I have never tried it while diving. I wonder if swallowing would be the same as moving your jaw from side to side, another technique some people use. And I wonder if in doing so you are opening up the air ways, and it is in that, that helps equalize the pressure.