Can you equalize WITHOUT pinching your nose?

[piikki]

I equalize by swallowing. I am very slow with my ears but I have not noticed that pinching the nose helps much even though I will go through the whole routine and try everything when things get stuck. On normal dive I will just start swallowing a lot and wiggling my jaw a bit before I even get into water.

 

[tiggrr]

I have to do a lot to equalize. Its always easier to start pinching right when I get out of bed until I'm on the surface ready to descend. I have to pinch for my right ear then, tilt my head to the right and swallow for my left ear. This is for Great Lakes diving. Because its all wrecks, I go down the line and about every foot I have to do both ears twice. Yes, it makes for a long descent but, I have great dive buds! They are ever so patient.

Warm water....a little quicker but, still take my time.

If its squeaking, I'm not equalizing enough.

I've tried all of the different ways and this is what works best for me.

 

[TSandM]

I wish I could do it . . . Sometimes I can on land, but I've never been successful underwater. It would free a hand up when I most need one!

 

[AbyssalPlains]

I'm lucky, equalizing is easy for me. I never have to hold my nose. I found what worked for me was to exercise the muscles that are used every day by performing the equalizing action while driving to work, etc. Basically, it's become second nature and I don't even think about it any more.

InkDiver,

I have been reading about learning how to equalize without pinching and was wondering how you do it. Can you share any tips with the rest of us how we can try to use our ear muscles?

 

[lahalbo]

I go for my OW cert dive this weekend. In the pool I've never been able to equalize my left ear by pinching my nose. Right ear clears right away. I've equalized left ear by holding nose and swallowing. It is slow going and I hear a funny little sound like the air leaving a balloon. But when I am out of the water, I can do something that makes my left ear make sort of a crackling noise. It has to do with something I am doing with my throat muscles.

I hope once we get more into diving I will be able to concentrate on equalizing and less on trying not to stress out. haha

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

It's called voluntary tubal opening. It feels almost like a yawn is starting. It is the preferred method for those who have mastered it.

Yep, that's what I do. It's easy. I have to remember to show pinching the nose for students though.

 

[Walter]

Yep, that's what I do. It's easy. I have to remember to show pinching the nose for students though.

The biggest problem is that once in a great while it doesn't work well. When that happens, I sometimes am already hurting before I realize I'm having trouble.

 

[Trixxie]

Always! My right ear will only equalize if I put my tongue against the roof of my mouth and swallow -- no nose pinching needed.

Similar for me too except I put my tongue against the roof of my mouth in the back and then exhale through my nose. Some of that air doesn't make it to my nose because my tongue is blocking it, it goes instead through my Eustation Tubes allowing me to equalize without touching my nose.

When I teach a class I have to pretend like I am pinching my nose to help remind my students to equalize early and often....

 

[Trixxie]

Yup, I can. It's hard to describe .. there's no wiggling or swallowing for me. I just flex my inner-ear muscles (I don't know a better way to say it) and they're clear. The coolest part is that it's second nature now, so I don't even have to think about it. I just go down and don't worry about equalizing. When I consciously try to do it, I can hear myself breathing, especially when I breathe through my nose.

Works on planes too...

This works for me too... awwww and I just thought I was special
LOL

I didn't realize it had a name and everything "voluntary tubal opening"

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

It's called voluntary tubal opening. It feels almost like a yawn is starting. It is the preferred method for those who have mastered it.

Yep, that's me. I never even think about it. I do, however, have to remember to show wiggling my nose for students as we descend. I want them to think about it, even if I am lucky, myself.