Ear Pain Help!

[fmerkel]

The ear plug should have a small hole or a tube inside it so you can still equalize with it.
About the pro plugs: They only help little with equalizing and are mostly meant for keeping water rushing into the ear to a minimum.
Water in ears is no problem for equalization.

Edit: Wild guess: Do you maybe start equalizing to late? At 7 feet can be already to late for some people, also some people tend to try to harder if it doesn't work.. Which makes it worse and can result in damage.
When diving straight down,
immediately start to equalize, if it doesn't work directly: stop or abort your descent. It only gets harder with more depth, you need the early equalize to be able to equalize at depth.

I've been using ProPugs for 25 years. IMO they do nothing for equalization. They help immensely for keeping water out of the ear if sized and inserted properly.

7' is WAY WAY WAY too late. 6' is too late. 4' is too late. Anything below 2' to start is pushing the envelope, especially if you have trouble with clearing.
Start at the surface, then every 2'.
There is a technique where you pressurize your ears, then dive and continue to pressurize them on the entire descent. You POP your ears (clear), then gently hold them open as you dive.

First, you absolutely need to figure out how to clear your ears, in total control, in a non-performance situation. If you can't do that, I seriously doubt you can do your task.

 

[Outbound]

...7' is WAY WAY WAY too late. 6' is too late. 4' is too late. Anything below 2' to start is pushing the envelope, especially if you have trouble with clearing.
Start at the surface, then every 2'.
There is a technique where you pressurize your ears, then dive and continue to pressurize them on the entire descent. You POP your ears (clear), then gently hold them open as you dive.

First, you absolutely need to figure out how to clear your ears, in total control, in a non-performance situation. If you can't do that, I seriously doubt you can do your task.

I was going to say that yeah, 7’ to start clearing is WAY too late. At 7’ I’ve already equalized at least three times.

 

[diver-jud]

If I have to swim down quickly I just pinch my nose and keep constant pressure in my inner ears as soon as I leave the surface and hold it till the bottom. If you see freedivers, as they descend they often have the nose pinched off with a clip so they can keep steady pressure and equalize continuously.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Found out what happened the last time I practiced in the pool - Perforated Ear Drum!

After going to the ENT this morning, I have a ballpoint pen-sized hole in my right ear. The doctor is making me a custom ear plug just for that ear and said that just for me to be able to pass the test of going down to the bottom of a pool a few times that I should be fine to do so. Now just hoping that my ear doesn't close back up before the test in a few months!

Has anyone used a custom plug on a perforated ear drum before for light/shallow dives?

I do not recommend anyone to dive with a perforated eardrum, with or without an earplug.
The hole seals himself in a couple of days, but then you have to wait at least two weeks for healing completely.
When the eardrum will be OK, then spend the required time for learning the proper equalization technique. Get rid of Valsalva, try something better: Frenzel (for freediving), Marcante-Odaglia (alomost the same, for scuba diving), BTV (the best one!).

 

[living4experiences]

Thank you all for the tips! I've been trying to learn the Frenzel as suggested, but it does not seem to be coming to me naturally! Lol

Has anyone had any luck with Doc's Vented Pro Plugs by chance?

Also- is it normal for water to flow in your ears if you equalize? And if so, can you still equalize with water in your ears?

Thanks!

I have used the Doc's Vented Proplugs on the recommendation of my ear doctor following a barotrauma, plus I had trouble equalizing on descent. I've been using them for many years and I love them! If you haven't read much about Doc's plugs, the web site is proplugs.com. The pinhole (which is what makes them vented) slows the water going into your ears and makes descending a lot easier. They come in different sizes, so make sure you try them on at your local dive shop and get a proper fitting. Also, get the ones that are "leashed", meaning they're tethered together so you don't lose one if it comes out of your ear while in the water.

 

[TMHeimer]

I've been using ProPugs for 25 years. IMO they do nothing for equalization. They help immensely for keeping water out of the ear if sized and inserted properly.

7' is WAY WAY WAY too late. 6' is too late. 4' is too late. Anything below 2' to start is pushing the envelope, especially if you have trouble with clearing.
Start at the surface, then every 2'.
There is a technique where you pressurize your ears, then dive and continue to pressurize them on the entire descent. You POP your ears (clear), then gently hold them open as you dive.

First, you absolutely need to figure out how to clear your ears, in total control, in a non-performance situation. If you can't do that, I seriously doubt you can do your task.

I agree completely on both points re the Pro Plugs. But I've never had any equalization problems at all, so maybe not the best judge.
I don't wear them with my hood, as it keeps water from sloshing deep into the ears the same as the plugs.