Difficulties Equalizing

[The Chairman]

We've had slow equalizers at our invasion last year in Coz. I didn't see that big of a problem for anyone.

 

[FPDocMatt]

Maybe a little water gets in, but whatever it does... they work for me. I've dived to over 200 feet using proplugs, and don't get that "soggy ear" feeling when not using them. I also have much less of a problem equalizing when using them. I have dived over 200 times a year for the last 3 years because of work, and swear by these.

Sounds like I ought to check them out.

---------- Post added April 21st, 2012 at 06:00 PM ----------

Other than that, how was your trip?

Oh it was great. The rescue diver course was very well constructed and run, and it was a sense of accomplishment to complete it. The people I met there were all the nicest you can imagine. And the Indian food at Sunset House is just amazing.

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.

Wow, you have my vote for the best sig on Scuba Board!

---------- Post added April 21st, 2012 at 06:08 PM ----------

Matt,
My wife SANDRA has had sinusitis for decades, and used sudafed up till recently to allow her to dive.....the far healthier solution we found ( really suggested by her allergy DR) was nasal irrigation....The NeilMed bottles, with a solution using 2 of the packets per bottle ( hypertonic) one bottle in each side.....it acts to clear out pollen and other causes of inflamation, and the hypertonic solution acts as a decongestant.....good for 3 to 4 hours at minimum for Sandra.

I doubt you have a sinus much worse than she does, but if so, you could irrigate on the boat again right after the first dive....

This also seems to prevent sea sickness--potentially due to dropping inflamation in the middle ear ????

I use the Neil Med sinus rinse every morning. I don't do the hypertonic rinse, though, perhaps I should try that.

I did indeed have sinus equalization problems as well on this trip. I felt sinus pressure a couple of times, and there was blood in my mask every time I surfaced.

Maybe I should just break down and take a sudafed, and see how it works for me.

Irrigating on the boat, that might be interesting. It would certainly be a conversation starter.

I don't know what causes sea sickness, but if sinus rinse prevents it then at least for Sandra it must be related to the sinuses or the ears.

It's interesting that, whenever you type your wife's name, it's in all caps. Does that mean something about the awe in which you hold her? If so, that should make all women happy.

---------- Post added April 21st, 2012 at 06:16 PM ----------

You're not getting it because it's not there. There is no plausible mechanism whereby ProPlugs could facilitate equalization. But, as I understand it, they will transmit the pressure change while excluding water for the first 20 feet via compression of the air pocket. So you don't delay equalization.

Okay, that makes sense. But if they transmit the pressure change, how do they help?

Anecdotally, I have found fluticasone spray to be helpful, though the mechanism for that is a little murky as well.

Oh, I should have said, my ENT recommended I start using fluticasone, which I have done. The mechanism is that it decreases inflammation. If your mucous membranes are swollen due to inflammation, this will help to shrink them. It's better for you than Afrin, because it gets more to the cause of the swelling. But Afrin works immediately, and you have to use the fluticasone twice daily every day. Fluticasone doesn't have a rebound nasal congestion effect, either.

 

[MMM]

DD, what Hawkwood is suggesting is an "extra" DM who would be paid to personally escort that particular client. The rest of the group would have the regular DM and would move at their own pace. That way it doesn't matter if they are separated. As for how the extra DM's presence helps, I think they are a security blanket, helping to reduce anxiety among other things. The other diver can be assured they will go down as slowly as they like and are comfortable doing, knowing they are not affecting other divers in the group.

I have dived in Cozumel with many who are slow to equalize. When the op I dive with has people who are "new" to him and the DM isn't sure how they will be in the water, we usually start the drop over a hard sandy bottom and someplace fairly easy like Palancar Gardens. That way, the DM can wait and watch for someone who may be slow going down while the rest of us muck around looking at things waiting and watching. I can't think of a single time that the current was too strong that we were prevented from waiting at the bottom.

How does someone dive in Cozumel if they can not equalize relatively quickly? How does the DM's presence help?

Won't the surface currents be faster than the bottom current where the remainder of the group is located and result in major separation problems unless the diver who descends slower kicks a bunch to try to follow the remainder of the group?

Wouldn't that make the descent even more stressful.. having to kick horizontally and try to precisely control depth and facilitate a very gradual descent?

 

[Dr Dog]

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.

Firstly I think you are being too hard on yourself. who knows why you are having issues. If I were to guess, you are just like me, you are your own worst enemy, and are probably sub conciously causing this to yourself. It happens to me.

The frenzel tech that I use, I practice all the time while above surface. Here is how i do it. squeeze your nose, both nostrils and suck in until you ears block. Then try and push your back jaw down with your mouth closed. The block should go away. I find myself doing this all the time. I like to practice while driving around town. If you practice a valsalva on dry land you should kind of get that blocked feeling, and then try the frenzel to clear it.

 

[FPDocMatt]

The frenzel tech that I use, I practice all the time while above surface. Here is how i do it. squeeze your nose, both nostrils and suck in until you ears block. Then try and push your back jaw down with your mouth closed. The block should go away. I find myself doing this all the time. I like to practice while driving around town. If you practice a valsalva on dry land you should kind of get that blocked feeling, and then try the frenzel to clear it.

I'm not getting the "push your back jaw down" maneuver.

 

[missyjane]

How does someone dive in Cozumel if they can not equalize relatively quickly? How does the DM's presence help?

Won't the surface currents be faster than the bottom current where the remainder of the group is located and result in major separation problems unless the diver who descends slower kicks a bunch to try to follow the remainder of the group?

Wouldn't that make the descent even more stressful.. having to kick horizontally and try to precisely control depth and facilitate a very gradual descent?

I had problems equalizing on my first dive in Cozumel. I let the DM know I was having issues a stayed about 10ft above the rest of the group the entire dive. He checked on me very often to make sure I was still ok. I didn't feel like I was being carried by the current at all. I can see how that would be an issue at times though.

 

[Ayisha]

I use the Neil Med sinus rinse every morning. I don't do the hypertonic rinse, though, perhaps I should try that.

I did indeed have sinus equalization problems as well on this trip. I felt sinus pressure a couple of times, and there was blood in my mask every time I surfaced.

You've brought up an interesting point. I am supposed to take Nasonex every day and everytime I took it before the morning dives, I would end up having a hard time equalizing, a lot of "sea pearls" and some blood in my mask - and I didn't feel congested before the dive. If I take Nasonex the night before instead and not the morning of, no issues. So eventually I stopped taking it the morning of a dive.

I use Neil Med Sinus Rinse only when I'm sick, so I've never used it before diving. I'm wondering if it would have the same effect as the Nasonex of dripping down after the fact? The Neil Med states to use it at least an hour before bedtime due to post-nasal drip down the throat. Do you think it could be causing excessive mucus if it's too close to your diving time?

 

[danvolker]

You've brought up an interesting point. I am supposed to take Nasonex every day and everytime I took it before the morning dives, I would end up having a hard time equalizing, a lot of "sea pearls" and some blood in my mask - and I didn't feel congested before the dive. If I take Nasonex the night before instead and not the morning of, no issues. So eventually I stopped taking it the morning of a dive.

I use Neil Med Sinus Rinse only when I'm sick, so I've never used it before diving. I'm wondering if it would have the same effect as the Nasonex of dripping down after the fact? The Neil Med states to use it at least an hour before bedtime due to post-nasal drip down the throat. Do you think it could be causing excessive mucus if it's too close to your diving time?

When you use it with the 2 packet strength, it opens your sinus up within 20 minutes or so........

 

[Hawkwood]

Thanks MMM and missyjane, you answered DD's question.

Yup, you both nailed the situation we were in. We learned it was no big deal to drift along above the group while slowly working your way down. If we got ahead of the group, no big deal, once we were at their level we'd be able to tuck in somewhere and wait for them to come to us. If we didn't have the "guidance" of the DM, we would not have had a good experience. I suppose there are other ways of figuring it out, but that was how we dealt with it.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Sounds like you guys got it figured out. I have not been to Cozumel in over 20 years, but I remember some currents on the wall dives.