Equalization question

[maristu]

Hello! This is my first post on the forum, so I'll just give a quick intro first. My name is Mariana, I'm Brazilian and started diving about 6 months ago. I've been traveling around SE Asia, and have basically dived at every opportunity I've got. Up to 90 dives so far, in Australia, NZ, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, even Vietnam (I'm slightly addicted!) Have my AOW and am planning on getting my Rescue soon.


Anyway... Here's my question. usually have no issues with equalizing, I do it early and often and rarely have I had to stop or go shallow due to equalization problems. But there were two times that were strange: I'd equalize in the middle of the dive (after maybe going over a boulder or something to that effect) and I felt warm liquid coming out of my right ear, and suddenly my hearing would become VERY CLEAR. No pain, I could still equalize just fine afterward, nothing theoretically to be worried about. The first time this happened I freaked out thinking I might have ruptured my eardrum (I hear it can happen with no pain), so I went to an ENT who checked everything and found no problems other than a major amount of wax in both ears, which he proceeded to remove. I didn't really worry about it until it happened again in another dive. I'm pretty sure it's nothing, but I was just wondering if anyone's had this happen before? Maybe this is an actual proper equalization and I've been equalizing improperly every other time? Should I worry about it?


Thanks, and sorry if this sounds silly... I have a history of recurring middle ear infections that I've managed to control these past years, and I'm really careful with my ears and hearing. Might just be paranoid, but I guess it's better to be safe than sorry


Mariana

 

[agilis]

It's good that you are seeing a specialist. I think the ear wax problem is probably at the center of the symptoms you describe. I can recall a non-diving friend who decided to do a resort course when on vacation with a group of people, including me. I went along because the instructor was a good friend. I was astonished at the quantity of wax that came out of the new student's ears when he held his nose a blew lightly in 10 feet of water because he needed to clear. The water discolored into a yellowish brown cloud on both sides of his head. He had no problems after that.

If you feel a warm liquid discharge with no discomfort of any kind while diving, it's probably water that had been trapped and warmed by body heat. You still must check with an ENT of course.

Welcome to this Board. It's truly international. I've spent many happy months in Brasil, long ago, a music tourist who was priviliged to have seen and met Tom Jobim, Djavan, Maria Bethania, Gilberto, and so many others during those long golden lost years. It is, for me, the best place on earth.

 

[spectrum]

Did any of these dive involve barrel rolls or other gyrations? Those tricks can work water deeper into the ear and may lead to that warm release you describe. That could explain the rarity of it.

I'm inclined to say that if you feel fine and hear fine it's something that simple and you are good to go. A call to DAN may provide enough clarity to know if a doctors visit is in order.

BTW, 90 dives in 6 months is what I call keeping your gear damp, good for you!

Pete

 

[maristu]

Thanks for the replies, Agilis and Pete I really love this forum, I've come here so many times to try and figure things out these past months, it feels like home even though I've never posted before...

As for the equalization thing, what really freaked me out, more than the warm water, was how clear my hearing got. This was not "I equalized and now things don't sound muffled anymore" clear, this felt more like superpower hearing ;-) It felt like out-of-the-water hearing, just on my right ear, and lasted for the rest of the dive. Which is why I wonder if I just haven't been equalizing properly, or if something physically cleared (like wax, although the second time was right after the cleaning), or if I just hadn't equalized properly during those two dives. I don't know... Probably nothing, I guess. But it is freaky to suddenly hear water wooshing around in your ear.

BTW, 90 dives in 6 months is what I call keeping your gear damp, good for you!

Scuba courses should come with a warning, it's highly addictive! Plus there's amazing diving here in Asia, and mostly cheap. It's like paradise!

Mariana

 

[dfx]

... or if something physically cleared (like wax, although the second time was right after the cleaning)

As someone who also has ear wax problems, that would be my totally unqualified guess. Water, and even more so salt water, has a habit of messing with ear wax, it dislodges it, shifts it around, etc. I use oil based ear drops on a regular basis to keep ear wax in check, and also irrigate my ears (syringing) every once in a while to remove excess ear wax.

 

[g1138]

You're probably getting water trapped behind the large amount of ear wax in your ear. That allows it to warm up from your body heat and then when you equalize, at times you'll equalize with enough force to flex your ear drums outward and shoot some of that trapped water out as well. That's my estimated non-medical guess.

I would say that you're probably equalizing with excessive force. I don't think your ear drums should be flexing that far out to displace water, if that is in fact what is occurring.

You should look into other methods, and this in turn might prevent those weird warm water leaks from your ear (if anything, just for peace of mind).

First I'm assuming you're doing the Valsalva Maneuver; that is pinching your nose and blowing. Often times this is
1) Explained wrong
2) Performed too forcefully.

What you should be doing is pinching your nose and blowing your throat. Direct your air not into your nose (as if you're blowing your nose), but into your throat as if you're yawning. This directs air directly to your Eustachian tubes. Often times when people blow their nose, they constrict their throat, which does not aid in equalizing (it impedes it). Usually this combination results in people using excessive force to clear their ears in this manner (ie flexing their ear drums an excessive amount). Your ears might be tender or ache after a dive because of this.

The second method to clearing ears is called the Frenzel Method.
That is to put some air into your mouth, and in once quick motion, block your soft palate and epiglottis and use your tongue to piston air into your Ears. The act if very similar to swallowing, however it does require a quick closure of your airway and does take practice to get the hang of it. It is important to do this in a swift motion and immediately open your airway again after a failed/successful attempt, and keep from ascending.
Additionally you can also pinch your nose and swallow, that's an easy beginner step to mastering this method. Eventually it can be done all hands free, without actually swallowing (rather just mimicking a swallow with your tongue by rolling it from tip to back against the roof of your mouth).
The big benefit to this method is it is hands free and you can never use excessive force, causing after-dive pain to your ear or ear drum perforation.

The third method is to use your throat muscles to pull and hold your Eustachian tubes open, allowing air to passively equalize. It's called Voluntary Tubal Opening or Beance Tubaire Volotaire
Some say it is not anatomically possible for everyone to do, you have to be born a certain way to pull it off. I think it has more to do with practice personally.
You want to basically perform your biggest yawn possible and recognize what your throat and jaw is doing. You're basically straining your jaw (hitched forward and open) and your throat open, but it doesn't have to necessarily be wide open; ie your lips can still be closed together.
It would be easier to look up some FAQs online rather than explain it here.
The biggest benefit with this is you can do it hands free and you never ever have a possibility to use excessive force or close your air way.

 

[Cheryle555]

I am a beginner, only one dive under my belt. My biggest issue was clearing my ears, I was not able to clear them by plugging my nose, only swallowing and I was failing miserably ascending, then descending, then ascending, it was not good. Your post has given me great information and I am hopeful I can do this. Thank you!

 

[chillyinCanada]

Cheryl, get your ears warmed up and used to the idea of equalizing. Are you familiar with how you equalize on an airplane? If so, practice that while not diving. Consider it exercise for your ears. Equalize before you go to the boat while you're on the boat, again before your initial descent, and continue as you descend, especially during the first thirty feet. Don't blow too hard. Equalize early and often is the key and "early" can mean before you ever dip your head under.

 

[iamrushman]

howdy and welcome from south Florida.............all good and helpful advice above...happy diving.