Want to get certified, but worried about ears
- Thread starter emilynewbie
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ScubaSteve1962
Contributor
That would be very high. I know shops that do it for free in the hope that you will like it enough to take a class.
freewillie
Contributor
To the OP, you live in California, check out Sports Chalet. They started as a scuba sports store. They will occasionally have intro to scuba for free!! A few stores have an on site pool for their scuba classes. These stores have a few weekend days where they invite you to come try scuba in the pool for free.
Your only problem with equalizing and your ears if if you have underlying chronic sinus congestion most commonly from allergies. This is easily diagnosed and treated, even from a primary care physician. You wouldn't necessarily have to see a specialist like ENT for simple problem like this. Another reference for dive trained MD's is DAN. They have a list of doctors who are familiar with the specific medical needs of divers.
Your only problem with equalizing and your ears if if you have underlying chronic sinus congestion most commonly from allergies. This is easily diagnosed and treated, even from a primary care physician. You wouldn't necessarily have to see a specialist like ENT for simple problem like this. Another reference for dive trained MD's is DAN. They have a list of doctors who are familiar with the specific medical needs of divers.
boat sju
Contributor
Emily,
Pinch your nose and swallow. Your ears should pop.
Pinch your nose and swallow. Your ears should pop.
OP
emilynewbie
Registered
Wow, thanks so much for all the info and advice, guys! I will definitely try and find a place to do the Discover course!
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I had the same worry prior to getting certified. But for decades of snorkelling I used earplugs (never thought of trying to equalize either). One thing you never do is use earplugs diving, unless the special ones ("Doc's Pro Plugs") that have a tiny hole in each to allow equalizing. Back to the point--If at all possible just swim down 8-10 feet (perhaps while snorkelling) and swallow, pinch nose, wiggle jaw, whatever you do to equalize on a plane. Then you will know that you are OK and could skip DSD and go right to the Open Water course.
RonFrank
Contributor
If you can not equalize you can not dive. Pain in 3' of water is not normal that I've observed. Talk to a doctor first as it sounds like you have something unusual going on. Maybe its easily resolved. Maybe it's more common than I think as I am not a doctor. The first 20' are the most difficult!
See a Doctor/ENT if you continue to have pain in 3' of water.....
See a Doctor/ENT if you continue to have pain in 3' of water.....
FPDocMatt
Contributor
Here's what I do:
(1) Pinch my nose and exhale gently through the nose. Of course, because the nose is pinched, no air comes out. Instead, the pressure builds up. At this point I may or may not feel the pressure in one or both ears. And one or both ears may pop (which means the eustachian tube has opened, which is a successful equalization on that side). (Valsalva Maneuver)
(2) Pinch my nose and swallow. This sometimes is enough to equalize one or both ears. (Toynbee Maneuver)
(3) If I still haven't equalized one or both ears with (1) or (2), I then combine the two maneuvers. Pinch nose, exhale through nose, then swallow. This almost always does the trick. (Lowrey Technique)
(4) It's important to not expect to be able to equalize when you're already feeling pressure in your ears. When I feel the pressure, I ascend a few feet and equalize. It's much much easier to equalize when the pressure is not already built up.
(5) Somehow the eustachian tubes have a memory for how to equalize. It just gets easier as you do it. Then, when I haven't been diving in a few months, and go back, I have difficulty during the first couple of dives, and less difficulty later. But the difficulty is nothing that prevents diving, it just means I take longer to descend. And that's okay.
(1) Pinch my nose and exhale gently through the nose. Of course, because the nose is pinched, no air comes out. Instead, the pressure builds up. At this point I may or may not feel the pressure in one or both ears. And one or both ears may pop (which means the eustachian tube has opened, which is a successful equalization on that side). (Valsalva Maneuver)
(2) Pinch my nose and swallow. This sometimes is enough to equalize one or both ears. (Toynbee Maneuver)
(3) If I still haven't equalized one or both ears with (1) or (2), I then combine the two maneuvers. Pinch nose, exhale through nose, then swallow. This almost always does the trick. (Lowrey Technique)
(4) It's important to not expect to be able to equalize when you're already feeling pressure in your ears. When I feel the pressure, I ascend a few feet and equalize. It's much much easier to equalize when the pressure is not already built up.
(5) Somehow the eustachian tubes have a memory for how to equalize. It just gets easier as you do it. Then, when I haven't been diving in a few months, and go back, I have difficulty during the first couple of dives, and less difficulty later. But the difficulty is nothing that prevents diving, it just means I take longer to descend. And that's okay.
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