Are my ears gonna hurt real bad?

[BiggDawg]

sweet. cause i was just thinkin, "hey, what if i'm just supposed to 'get used to it'". If that was the case i was gonna be kinda bummed. yea i tried holding my nose and blowing before, but it just kinda squeeks and then hurts again. thanks

The "squeek" is the air squeezing through the Eustacian tube, which is the opening between your inner ear and your nasal passages. Normally, your ears equalize pressure naturally through this tube. In diving, you are changing the pressure faster than when you are on land, which is why you need to learn to equalize.

If it "squeeks" it is because either you have a little congestion, or because your Eustacian tubes are stiff ~ most non-divers don't do this much, and your tubes get stiff as you get older. That's OK, too, they'll loosen up with practice.

The "hurts again" is because you have over pressurized the inner ear. Don't do that! :no (See above!) Either you are at normal pressure, and by practicing you have over-pressurized; or if you are trying this in the pool you are blowing too hard. Blow gently. The idea is, after all, to equalize not to pressurize.

 

[rjpv]

Valiant,

One of the more typical problems a diver will have is the inability to equalize, meaning that their ears hurt as they descend. You don't "get used to this"; if this happens you stop descending and fix it before going on. Nothing should hurt.

If you take the Open Water Certification course (aka Scuba 101) one of the first things you will do is learn to equalize your ears as you descend gradually along the pool floor.

 

[BKP]

The short answer is that you will learn how to fix that in class. Scuba diving does not hurt, if it did no one would do it, or atleast I wouldn't cause i'm a wuss
It is a good question, since so many people think that diving does hurt. That is the number one response I get when I tell people I dive "that must really hurt, I don't think I could do it"

You don't think diving hurts? Take a look in my wallet... there's an ECHO in there!!!!

 

[ValiantLlamma]

You don't think diving hurts? Take a look in my wallet... there's an ECHO in there!!!!

Speaking of cost, to put it lightly, i am cheap. i like to work and make money, but then i don't ever spend it. especially if it's not something i really need, like a bike . Since i check this board at least 20 times a day, and i haven't ever even dove, i think that i will end up really liking scuba. BUT... in case i do not, i wanna stick to decimals instead of commas in the bill. What say everyone to used equip? I know that if i do go that route, i would need to have it inspected, but other than that, yay or nay?? And, yes, i will wait to buy that stuff until after certification and stuff, when i have a better idea of whether or not i will stick with it. i'll just rent or whatever for class. and the new snorkel, goggles and fins are footable. (get it, fin, footable?!?! HAHAHAHA) i'm talking used tanks, regulators, suits (kinda gross if you actually think about it, but i try not to) anyways, thoughts?

 

[Jasonmh]

You don't think diving hurts? Take a look in my wallet... there's an ECHO in there!!!!

hahaha.. too true

 

[jonix]

When you get to the bottom of a deep pool, and it feels like someone is attacking you in the ears with qtips, that sucks. does that happen when scuba-ing? i thought thats what the regulator was for, but nowim not sure.

it won't hurt once you get trained to do it and it's very easy. as they say it's the wallet that gets really hurt.

 

[k4man]

You already have your answer about ear equalization above. If you ears are hurting, you're doing something wrong. Again, as mentioned above, your instructor will give all the details about techniques to clear your ears.

I would NOT suggest chewing gum, as when in an airplane. HMMMMM, something about a regulator and gum......not the best combination!!

 

[Quero]

<snip> i think that i will end up really liking scuba. BUT... in case i do not, i wanna stick to decimals instead of commas in the bill.

LOL.
You will know almost immediately if you like SCUBA enough to invest amounts involving a comma--and assuming you do get hooked, your decision to rent gear or purchase new/used gear may be tied to how often you get to dive. But frankly, the equipment is often the smaller part of the investment; for many of us, the bigger part of a scuba passion is the cost involved in dive trips, especially if they involve air travel and resort stays.

People do buy used equipment and get years of safe dives from it. You might ask your LDS if they sell their rental gear periodically (some shops do this annually). The shop will have maintained the gear throughout its rental life and will likely be willing to continue to do so after they have sold it.

 

[parheric]

Never had to, even as I flew quarter of a million miles a year. Swallowing was always enough. Besides, flying was going up. Ascending to .6 atmospheres (the typical pressurization of an airliner) in fifteen minutes is not nearly the same as descending to three in two minutes.

I was able to swallow, found it alot easier - and allowed me to scratch myself in two places at once - while equalizing.

 

[rawls]

The regulator doesn't equalize your middle ear. It is a means by which it gets equalized. Remember, the regulator delivers air at the same pressure as the water pressure surrounding you. Say you are at 4ft. I would use 33 ft but if you aren't equalized at 33 ft...kaboom, or at least, as your example, a constant Q-Tip on the eardrum feeling. Your regulator is delivering air to your lungs at 4ft at about 16.7 psi. Your middle ear is at 14.7. You won't feel it but there is a pressure difference. What you want is to get the middle ear balanced with the pressure surrounding you...16.7 psi and in your lungs...16.7 psi. So you want your middle ear to be at 16.7 psi. The way the regulator helps you is when you blow...gently...through your nose or swallow...you are getting that 16.7 psi air that it delivers to your lungs pushing through your Eustachian tube into your middle ear to get it balanced with the inside and outside. Again, you won't feel any pressure on your ears at 4 feet but the point is that you should never feel any pressure. You should clear gently and frequently to maintain that balance always. If you have an obstruction caused by something like sinus congestion and you have to blow until your eyes pop out then you could be asking for trouble. You may be able to get that squeeeek and equalize. Problem is you are going to have to ascend at some point. If you had a problem with getting that air passed the obstruction on descent, well, that air has to escape, again passed the obstruction, on ascent. Hopefully it will, but if it doesn't you are back at kaboom or the Q-Tip scenario, this time from the inside out...aka...reverse squeeze. Always clear gently and frequently...