Difficulties Equalizing

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FPDocMatt

Contributor
Messages
446
Reaction score
197
Location
Middletown, Maryland, USA
# of dives
25 - 49
On my most recent dive trip I had more difficulty equalizing than I'd had on the previous 2 (I've only gone on 3 dive trips so far). After my second trip I figured I was over this huge difficulty equalizing, but this time it was even worse.

It took me between 5 and 10 minutes to get down to 20 feet.

In fact, I don't think I was completely equalized even then, in my left ear.

Then I had decreased hearing in my left ear, so skipped my last day's diving.

On return home, I saw an ENT. My hearing in the left hear was slightly less than it had been. The question is, is it permanent or temporary? So we're going to retest my hearing in a few months to find out.

She found no problem in the ear on physical examination. She said that if I'd sustained inner ear trauma I'd have dizziness, but I never had any dizziness. But the exam ruled out middle and external ear problems.

However, I suspect inner ear damage is exactly what occurred.

Anyway, as a result, I've decided to descend even slower next time. The thing is, I felt rushed to descend, because my buddy or buddies were waiting for me at the bottom of the line.

The weird thing is I have no difficulty at all equalizing my ears on the surface.

So I'm thinking that my problem is not pre-equalizing as I'm descending. That is, I need to equalizing before the ears hurt. Once the outside pressure is greater than the inside pressure, equalizing becomes difficult or impossible.

And I need to dive with someone who doesn't care if I take all day descending. In other words, a paid dive buddy (DM). It'll make my dive trips more expensive, but I think it's necessary.

The thing is, I'm going on these dive trips solo, so I can't expect a pick-up buddy no matter how nice and friendly to wait 10 or 15 minutes for me to get to 20 feet. That's a bit much to expect from anybody but family.

Another thing is I'll probably enjoy shore diving better, since you get to see stuff right from the shallows. For example, at Sunset House there are plenty of fish right there near the shore, in 10 feet of water.

Recently a new ENT set up practice in my area. I told him that I'm a scuba diver with ear issues, and he said he used to be a dive doctor for the Navy. So I'm going to go see him, see if he has any insights.

The Sudafed suggestion is a good one for young people, but I don't think it's a good idea for people my age (59). I don't have high blood pressure, but I see lots of patients who are middle-aged whose blood pressure goes high every time they take decongestants. Anyway, it's probably okay, but I'd prefer to find a non-medicinal solution to my problem.

The Frenzel technique would probably work, if I could just figure out how to do it. I read all the explanations and instructions, but I just can't do it.

The combination of valsalva and swallowing works perfectly well for me every time--on the surface.
 
Me personally... I use Doc's Proplugs all the time. (unless I'm diving my hat, in which case my head is dry)

also, while people don't like this (especially doctors) I use afrin on occasion if I'm having trouble clearing before my dive. I know doc's don't like Afrin, but I know the consequences, and sometimes (as a working diver) you just HAVE to make the dive. :wink:
 
You can always take me on your trip with you, I promise to let you set the pace descending :)

The effects of peer pressure is something I discuss while teaching scuba and you may not realize that you are feeling rushed and have gotten past a point of easy equalization. In all likelihood when you get a few successful descents under your weightbelt you will find things improving.

Shore diving can be an excellent way to get more practice and have fun while doing it.
 
This video, THE DIVER'S EAR—UNDER PRESSURE, is a good resource.

I have occasional difficulty equalizing. I find that if I can descend continuously to maximum depth it is easier than when I make intermediate stops.

I had a reverse block while using Afrin.
 
So I'm thinking that my problem is not pre-equalizing as I'm descending.
This is a problem that many people encounter. If you are waiting for pressure to build up before you try to equalize you are asking for problems. Here are a few tips I regularly teach my students...


  • Start on the surface before you start to descend. Blow, then go!
  • Time your equalizing intervals to preempt the feeling of pressure buildup.
  • Be sure to "look up" and stretch the front of your neck while equalizing. This will help to open up the Eustachian tubes.
  • Never attempt to force the process! If a gentle attempt is not enough, ascend a few feet and try again. Keep ascending until you can equalize or hit the surface.
  • Once at depth, STOP trying to equalize. You can traumatize your ears by overdoing a good thing and make subsequent descents even harder.

Just in case you don't realize this: I am not a medical doctor. I used to fix sick networks but my advice comes from me being a Scuba Instructor.
 
I start equalizing as soon as I'm under the surface, and keep on equalizing several times before I'm down to 10 meters(pressure doubles the first 10).
If I wait, it will be painful equalizing too late... My wife has to eq. even more, and some times she ascends a few meters if she have trouble. I think this may be something which will improve/come easier with each dive. I'm 57, and did'nt start diving until 2 years ago(at the age of 15, my local doc advised me not to dive because of earproblems). Today I have more than 100 dives, and have never experienced problems, as long as I'm equalising enough. My wife punctured her ear on dive number 6 because the DM did'nt give her enough weights....she went right up from 10-12 meters, and POP... Learned a lot since then :)
 
My wife has a very difficult time equalizing on the first few dives of a trip.

She lets the DMs (or whomever) know about the problem. As a result, we often go into the water first to spend more time descending. If it's a drift, we end up zipping along shallower keeping the rest in sight.

Otherwise, it is too bad for the rest of the folks. We will not speed up the descent because folks are "waiting". If they are guided dives - well they will just have to wait for us to catch up.
 
  • Start on the surface before you start to descend. Blow, then go!
  • Time your equalizing intervals to preempt the feeling of pressure buildup.
  • Be sure to "look up" and stretch the front of your neck while equalizing. This will help to open up the Eustachian tubes.
  • Never attempt to force the process! If a gentle attempt is not enough, ascend a few feet and try again. Keep ascending until you can equalize or hit the surface.
  • Once at depth, STOP trying to equalize. You can traumatize your ears by overdoing a good thing and make subsequent descents even harder.

Now thats some good advice!

In addition, Dive More. I find that if I go a month or more without diving it takes more time to "retrain" my ears. when I'm diving regularly I can feel when I need to equalize and do it so quickly I can just drop to my depth and level off.

Freediving is worse because if you can't equalize quickly, its back to the surface. Sometimes the day ends because my ears won't cooperate properly. Today will be interesting 'cause the weather and my schedule have kept me out of the water for over a month and its time to freedive for abalone.

Although it might not seem so sometimes, you might have to p**s off a few people or even blow off a day of diving because your ears are more important. I believe that even though diesel engines, turbines and assorted machinery have already done a job on mine.



Other than that, how was your trip?


Bob
------------------------------------------------
There is no problem that can't be solved with a liberal application of sex, tequila, money, duct tape, or high explosives, not necessarily in that order.
 
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So I'm thinking that my problem is not pre-equalizing as I'm descending. That is, I need to equalizing before the ears hurt. Once the outside pressure is greater than the inside pressure, equalizing becomes difficult or impossible.

Have to agree with NetDoc that this could be the main issue. Equalize before you feel the need to-- especially in the first 10m. It is one of the main mistakes I made during my first several dives. Then after some coaching, I developed a rhythm to equalizing and I have far fewer problems.

Good luck sorting this out.
 
Me personally... I use Doc's Proplugs all the time. (unless I'm diving my hat, in which case my head is dry)

also, while people don't like this (especially doctors) I use afrin on occasion if I'm having trouble clearing before my dive. I know doc's don't like Afrin, but I know the consequences, and sometimes (as a working diver) you just HAVE to make the dive. :wink:

Well, I'm a doctor, and I don't dislike Afrin.

Afrin and similar decongestant nasal sprays are addictive, in the sense that, if you use them frequently, your nasal passages develop a tolerance to them, so that you need to keep using them in order to not be stuffy. The chronic nasal congestion caused by nasal decongestants is called rhinitis medicamentosa.

But if you don't use it for longer than 3 days at a time, this addiction is not likely to occur.

Regarding the ProPlugs, the website says that they prevent water from entering down to 20 feet, then allow water to enter. Hm. How does that help? Wouldn't you just be delaying the equalization issue until 20 feet? And then wouldn't it hit you rather suddenly...? There must be something I'm not getting here...

---------- Post added April 21st, 2012 at 11:46 AM ----------

  • Start on the surface before you start to descend. Blow, then go!

Hey, great idea. I'll do that.

  • Never attempt to force the process! If a gentle attempt is not enough, ascend a few feet and try again. Keep ascending until you can equalize or hit the surface.

Maybe this is my problem. I would ascend a few feet and try again, but if I failed there I would stay there and keep trying and trying. Allowing myself to keep ascending if necessary until I'm back at the surface might be just the ticket.

And I tried too hard a few times, out of desperation.

  • Once at depth, STOP trying to equalize. You can traumatize your ears by overdoing a good thing and make subsequent descents even harder.
Yes, I had less difficulty equalizing the first day. I think I may have traumatized my ears by all the attempts to equalize.
 
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