Barotrauma on my open water dive.

[Shasta_man]

Using Sudafed or whatever on a standard basis to dive is a bad idea and should be unnecessary. If you need it, there's a reason you shouldn't be diving. Unless your umpteen grand vacation is at risk, I wouldn't do it.

I start equalizing as soon as my head goes underwater. Not by blowing my head off, but with very light equalizes and then with swallowing, it equalizes itself. Equalize often and easily.