Skydiving

[k374]

Never done due to fear of my ears. I have always had ear issues when diving and I frequently get ear pain at the slightest change in altitude. Infact my ears are so sensitive I can even get pops when I drive up a mountain road and I frequently get ear pain when I travel by air. I have never been able to Valsalva successfully, it just does not work for me for some reason although I have better results with chewing.

Now, here is my question - given the above, I really want to try skydiving and I am wondering if those who have done scuba and skydiving can compare the two in terms of pressure change. I usually use Earplanes (ear plugs for air travel) and they do a good job regulating the pressure during take off and landing, I have no issues when I use those. I am wondering if I can use those and skydive?

 

[oldschoolto]

Way more ear clearing with scuba.,... I'd say go and have fun...

Jim....

master rigger, skydiving instructor, jump pilot and former Aircraft & Dropzone owner... 30 years of jumping and training

 

[abnfrog]

Never done due to fear of my ears. I have always had ear issues when diving and I frequently get ear pain at the slightest change in altitude. Infact my ears are so sensitive I can even get pops when I drive up a mountain road and I frequently get ear pain when I travel by air. I have never been able to Valsalva successfully, it just does not work for me for some reason although I have better results with chewing.

Now, here is my question - given the above, I really want to try skydiving and I am wondering if those who have done scuba and skydiving can compare the two in terms of pressure change. I usually use Earplanes (ear plugs for air travel) and they do a good job regulating the pressure during take off and landing, I have no issues when I use those. I am wondering if I can use those and skydive?

jumping out of planes is what i did for a living (and fun after i got out ) alot of sky divers are scuba divers too ,, so i say if you can dive you should have no problem with jumping..it will take a while to get trained up to an eight five alt (8500 feet ) so tilol then have at it and have fun , its the most fun you can have with your pants on !!!!!!!!

 

[k374]

well, the thing I am concerned with is that with SCUBA if I can't clear then I will just abort the dive... with skydiving once you jump you're screwed if you can't clear! But I wonder how much clearing is actually needed... assuming one does not have a cold is it possible to blow a eardrum if one cannot clear fast enough?

I'm looking at the figures here:

Change in pressure from 0 to 33ft would be 14.7 to 29.4 psi (14.7 psi in 33 seconds [assuming 1ft/sec]) - overall rate approx 30psi/min.

Change in pressure during freefall from 14000ft to 4000 ft (parachute deploy) would be 8.63psi to 12.69 psi (differential is 4.06 psi in 60 seconds (6 seconds for every 1000ft)) - overall rate approx 4 psi/min

from the figures skydiving doesn't look too bad... i'm also thinking of using Earplanes which help equalize

 

[abnfrog]

well, the thing I am concerned with is that with SCUBA if I can't clear then I will just abort the dive... with skydiving once you jump you're screwed if you can't clear! But I wonder how much clearing is actually needed... assuming one does not have a cold is it possible to blow a eardrum if one cannot clear fast enough?

I'm looking at the figures here:

Change in pressure from 0 to 33ft would be 14.7 to 29.4 psi (14.7 psi in 33 seconds [assuming 1ft/sec]) - overall rate approx 30psi/min.

Change in pressure during freefall from 14000ft to 4000 ft (parachute deploy) would be 8.63psi to 12.69 psi (differential is 4.06 psi in 60 seconds (6 seconds for every 1000ft)) - overall rate approx 4 psi/min

from the figures skydiving doesn't look too bad... i'm also thinking of using Earplanes which help equalize

doesnt work like that .....clear when you get up to alt .. the only time you MIGHT have a problem is jumping 30 k doing a halo ....and unless you go to halo school and join the airborne / then sf ....you wont be doing that ....so just get out and do it , your gonna loveeeeee itttt ......!!!!!

 

[JBFG]

concur!

 

[scpmi]

You could always try skydiving underwater using our new jet pack

[video=youtube;tGnBOmHUCJ8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGnBOmHUCJ8[/video]

 

[Randy g]

^........Lame

Just do it. I did some skydiving back when I was in my 20's. As said, the only problem you will have is the flight up. Dropping will have your adrenaline rushing way to fast to even think about a ear problem.

 

[dreamdive]

"I frequently get ear pain at the slightest change in altitude. Infact my ears are so sensitive I can even get pops when I drive up a mountain road and I frequently get ear pain when I travel by air.....I usually use Earplanes (ear plugs for air travel) and they do a good job regulating the pressure during take off and landing"

Cabin pressure in a commercial airplane are usually adjusted to about 3000 ft. When you do a tandem dive from 10'000 feet, you do not have that adjustment! Before causing you undue amount of pain, why don't you try your earplanes while driving up a mountain and see if they work for that. If they do, then skydiving might be a less painful experience for you.

BLUE SKIES

Claudia Roussos MD
(Jumpmaster, Rigger, Pilot):blinking:

 

[mike.chuanshi]

Never done due to fear of my ears. I have always had ear issues when diving and I frequently get ear pain at the slightest change in altitude. Infact my ears are so sensitive I can even get pops when I drive up a mountain road and I frequently get ear pain when I travel by air. I have never been able to Valsalva successfully, it just does not work for me for some reason although I have better results with chewing. Now, here is my question - given the above, I really want to try skydiving and I am wondering if those who have done scuba and skydiving can compare the two in terms of pressure change. I usually use Earplanes (ear plugs for air travel) and they do a good job regulating the pressure during take off and landing, I have no issues when I use those. I am wondering if I can use those and skydive?

I'm a diver and a jumper, as is my sister. My sister actually had ear problems so severe when she was younger she couldn't travel by air without being in tears the entire time. She had surgery a couple of times and there was some improvement, but the problem has always been there to some degree. Despite all of this, she hasn't let it stand in her way when it comes to her doing the things that she wants. When I took her skydiving for the first time I was a bit concerned, but after we landed and I asked her about it, she said that didn't notice any issue with her ears at all.

Underwater it seems like pressure changes are much more pronounced, and I agree with what was said about scuba requiring a lot more ear-clearing. I notice the need to equalize underwater every time I dive, but I can't say that I've thought much about it while skydiving (we typically jump from 15,000 feet).