Equalization the Science and Biology

[TMHeimer]

Simply put, I have always done the described "crackling" thing using those muscles described and nothing else (no nose, jaw, etc.--once in a while I do swallow if shooting down the line fast to 100'). I am no expert on this, but agree with TS & M that you either can learn this or you can't (I have explained the yawning thing to students--some get it, some don't). I always questioned practicing equalisation techiniques on land as training to make it easier.

 

[boulderjohn]

I always questioned practicing equalisation techiniques on land as training to make it easier.

As I said in my post, as someone who struggled with this early in his diving career, I found equalizing on land to be an excellent help to me, but it has nothing to do with practice. When I dive today I barely have to equalize, but I have no more skill at the techniques now than I did as a beginner when I found equalization to be close to impossible. Sitting at my computer right now I can pop my ears with no effort at all. If it were back in my beginning days, I would not pop my ears on the surface no matter how I tried.

The difference is in my Eustachian tubes, not my technique. On some days I can do an entire dive without even making the effort to equalize. As I also said earlier, I don't know how it happens, but I know my ears are much more receptive to the equalization process than they were before.

A couple of years ago I had a period of serious illness followed by a severe injury. The result was that I was out of all diving for quite some time. When I returned, I had to work harder on equalization for a while before I returned to normal. I had close to 800 career dives when that happened. I don't think I had lost the skill.

 

[Ricky B]

As I said in my post, as someone who struggled with this early in his diving career, I found equalizing on land to be an excellent help to me, but it has nothing to do with practice. When I dive today I barely have to equalize, but I have no more skill at the techniques now than I did as a beginner when I found equalization to be close to impossible. Sitting at my computer right now I can pop my ears with no effort at all. If it were back in my beginning days, I would not pop my ears on the surface no matter how I tried.

The difference is in my Eustachian tubes, not my technique. On some days I can do an entire dive without even making the effort to equalize. As I also said earlier, I don't know how it happens, but I know my ears are much more receptive to the equalization process than they were before.

A couple of years ago I had a period of serious illness followed by a severe injury. The result was that I was out of all diving for quite some time. When I returned, I had to work harder on equalization for a while before I returned to normal. I had close to 800 career dives when that happened. I don't think I had lost the skill.

Per Wikipedia:

There are four muscles associated with the function of the Eustachian tube:

• Levator veli palatini (innervated by the vagus nerve)
• Salpingopharyngeus (innervated by the vagus nerve)
• Tensor tympani (innervated by the mandibular nerve of CN V)
• Tensor veli palatini (innervated by the mandibular nerve of CN V)

Eustachian tube - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Increased use of a muscle can result in a stronger muscle. If continued practicing of opening the Eustachian tubes strengthens the muscles associated with the Eustachian tubes, that could explain why some people get better at opening the tubes with practice. It might also explain why you had to work harder on equalization for a while before your returned to normal.