Ear Trouble

[amphibious21]

Alright I'm sure we've all heard this one before.
I have been diving for around 4 years and in the beginning I never had any trouble with my ears. The next year I hopped in the water again and found that I was having an extreme amount of trouble equalizing. I'm not sure exactly what my problem is, I have tried various methods of equalizing and just being plain slow about descending but I still have a lot of pain even if a go extremely slow and equalize every few feet.
I'm also not sure why it started to happen a year after I started diving. My theory is that I grew in between, since I started diving at 12, and something happened that made it difficult.
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas or recommendations that might make it easier. Thanks in advance.

 

[FinPivots]

I too would like to know what causes that sort of thing. My girlfriend usually takes 5-10min to descend 30' because one ear may equalize and not the other, or both. I can hit 30' in 15 seconds! I would like to offer some kind of advice to her and help her move along.

Look forward to seeing what others have to say!

 

[g1138]

A visit to your local ENT (ear-nose-throat) doctor can rule out any anatomical factors that prevent rapid descends.
If you can rule out things such as tonsils, narrow Eustachian tubes etc then you'll know the problem is your technique. We can help you with technique, but we can't help you with your god given parts.

In the mean time I suggest looking up two things
- Frenzel Technique
- BTV/VTO (Beance Tubaire Volontaire/Voluntary Tubal Opening)

Both are advanced methods of ear equalization. The latter method is only possible to a select lucky few who are blessed with the correct anatomy, but the reading guides for both methods have really helped me in developing a good clean and effective method of equalizing.

 

[amphibious21]

Alright great, I'll look into those.

I know a while ago my dad took me for a hearing test when a started having the problems in the first place, but I remember wondering at the time what the heck that had to do with equalizing. I'm still not quite sure what it was about...

I have considered going to an ENT, and I'm thinking it might be a good time to go and see what they have to say since diving is starting to become a rather painful experience

 

[g1138]

haha, yeah a hearing test doesn't really help much in determining that.

Hopefully the ENT finds nothing that would prevent you from equalizing.

 

[zider]

If you have not yet done so, check out this site.

Doc's Diving Medicine Home Page

 

[sparky923]

I had a heck of a time equalizing with what I thought were clear sinuses. It felt like my head was in a vise. I was about ready to throw in the towel and concede defeat. This was a couple of months ago when I was getting certified.

Before I dove again, I got on a regimine of generic Claritin just to make sure my sinuses weren't inflamed at all. The change was unbelievable. It made a believer out of me.

My sinuses felt about the same both times, I can only guess that my eustachian tube was a little more inflamed preventing air from flowing through it to equalize.

 

[buddhasummer]

Alright I'm sure we've all heard this one before.
I have been diving for around 4 years and in the beginning I never had any trouble with my ears. The next year I hopped in the water again and found that I was having an extreme amount of trouble equalizing. I'm not sure exactly what my problem is, I have tried various methods of equalizing and just being plain slow about descending but I still have a lot of pain even if a go extremely slow and equalize every few feet.
I'm also not sure why it started to happen a year after I started diving. My theory is that I grew in between, since I started diving at 12, and something happened that made it difficult.
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas or recommendations that might make it easier. Thanks in advance.

If you are having equalizing issues I would be equalizing a lot more frequently than every few feet. The idea is to equalize before you feel any discomfort. I recommend to new divers to actually begin just before descent i.e before their head goes under. I used to have problems equalizing when I first began diving. I now equalize almost continuously all the way down before I feel any discomfort and since doing that very rarely have any issues. There is a very good video on this board about equalizing techniques and physiology I cannot find it at the moment but will keep searching and try to post a link, someone else may be able to locate. Good luck.

Just looked at link in post#6 it has the video Im talking about (Dr. Kay).

 

[DivemasterDennis]

There are many things that can affect your ability to clear in addition to congestion. Water temperature, barometric pressure at the surface, even a funky entry has impacted this issue, as can the sort of hyperventilating that many of us engage in when we hit the water for the first time in a while. I have found it very useful to take a single little red sudafed an hour before diving (the 4 hour jobs). I also find that swallowing, occasionally exhaling through my nose, and rolling my head from side to side when horizontal in the water all make clearing easier. A continuous and chronic problem clearing does suggest a physiological issue, so the recommendations for an examination are spot on. When you log dives, log the little things like water temperature, air temperature, other weather conditions, and ear issues. As you review you log from time to time you may find that some circumstances recur with clearing problems, and that also helps in addressing the issue through time and in different locales. One interesting correlation I have found for myself is that although I have rarely had any equalizing problems, I am more likely to have them on a second or third dive than a first dive, but also more likely to have them on the first day of diving rather than on subsequent successive dive days. Cold water is a big factor for me, as is hood vs no hood. In any event, take care of your body, because pain free diving is the best diving there is!!
DivemasterDennis scubasnobs.com

 

[TSandM]

I certainly would not make a blanket recommendation of Sudafed, in the absence of a diagnosis, especially as this person's ability to equalize appears to have changed. An ENT referral, as well as use of the resource documents listed, seems very appropriate.