Equalization: should I hear a pop?

[diveprof]

I am not a physician and my recomendations should not be taken as medical advice. Consult your physician. However, many of my students have found the technique that i've described to be just fine. If you feel a noise in your ears, then it is likely that the noise you ear is from the air reaching your middle ear - you are equalizing. Again, do this early (before descending and as with each breath during descent.
Be sure that you are not overweighted. Overweighting may cause a quick descent before you have the opportunity to equalize.

 

[KansaiKitsune]

Well, I had a breakthrough!

I just surprised myself. I believe I just successfully Vasalva Techniqued my left ear for the first time ever in my life. The doc told me I just may never have actually DONE it before, and he may have been correct. He said that every time I got a chance or thought about it, I needed to try to Vasalva.

I wasn't blowing hard at all, but I had my head at a very unusual angle -- like as if I'd been hung on a noose, to use a rather horrifying image. When I finally got into just the right position and Vasalva'd, I could hear a "sticky" bubbling, crackling sound that reminded me of sucking the last bit of soft drink out of a cup through a straw, and for a second -- total clarity. My ear actually pressurized! Now if I can just repeat this exactly underwater and do it enough, I'll have it down perfect!

My ear feels a little weird now, like I haven't completely released all the new pressure out of it -- it doesn't hurt, though, and there's no vertigo or hearing loss, so I don't think I blew anything. Also, it's going away the more I swallow and chew.

A question, though: what do you guys think I was hearing when I heard that crackling sound I mentioned? Was that the mucus blowing out? Earwax being displaced? Membrane forceably opening for the first time in forever? Should I maybe try to do one of the wax flush treatments they have?

Now to repeat this triumph and I can succeed! And my instructor's going to let me try in the pool session on Monday! Very excited with my progress, as you can see!

 

[scratchmyback]

That is great that you figured it out! Just remember to practice it over the weekend as well, whenever you think of it. Let us know how you made out on Monday, we'll be rooting for you

Laura

 

[diveprof]

Good luck!!! But remember, your first instincts were right, do not force it if you cannot clear.

 

[KansaiKitsune]

Thanks for all the support in this thread. I've a new question come up.

I've been practicing pressurizing my left ear, and it's been working well -- I just tilt my head and push a slight bit harder and it pops. Doesn't make that horrible suctioning noise anymore either, or it hasn't. But I can say that it definitely takes significantly longer (minutes, rather than seconds) to swallow and yawn the pressure I Vasalva INTO my left ear OUT than it does my right, which I can depressurize almost instantly.

Will that be cause for concern as I'm ascending, or will the increase in pressure at depth be pushing that air out along with my swallowing and the like as I'm returning to the surface?

There's always the possibility that as I do it more, it'll happen easier, I suppose. You guys have said, every dive gets easier as the tubes loosen up.

 

[diveprof]

Well, I had a breakthrough!

I just surprised myself. I believe I just successfully Vasalva Techniqued my left ear for the first time ever in my life. The doc told me I just may never have actually DONE it before, and he may have been correct. He said that every time I got a chance or thought about it, I needed to try to Vasalva.

I wasn't blowing hard at all, but I had my head at a very unusual angle -- like as if I'd been hung on a noose, to use a rather horrifying image. When I finally got into just the right position and Vasalva'd, I could hear a "sticky" bubbling, crackling sound that reminded me of sucking the last bit of soft drink out of a cup through a straw, and for a second -- total clarity. My ear actually pressurized! Now if I can just repeat this exactly underwater and do it enough, I'll have it down perfect!

My ear feels a little weird now, like I haven't completely released all the new pressure out of it -- it doesn't hurt, though, and there's no vertigo or hearing loss, so I don't think I blew anything. Also, it's going away the more I swallow and chew.

A question, though: what do you guys think I was hearing when I heard that crackling sound I mentioned? Was that the mucus blowing out? Earwax being displaced? Membrane forceably opening for the first time in forever? Should I maybe try to do one of the wax flush treatments they have?

Now to repeat this triumph and I can succeed! And my instructor's going to let me try in the pool session on Monday! Very excited with my progress, as you can see!

Regarding the ear wax statement in the above quote, if you would have had excessive ear wax, the ENT doc would have noted and removed it.

 

[KansaiKitsune]

I just wanted to follow up on this message and let everyone know my situation: I was finally certified yesterday. I did my OW dives on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday we had a large group, and we all had a wonderful cookout on the beach and enjoyed ourselves. We did our dives at the Panama City Beach jetties, and at former research platform Stage II's rubble off the coast of Panama City Beach. Had a wonderful time. Equalization was never a problem.

On dive 4, I had already graduated to swimming the dropline headfirst while equalizing!

Thanks to everyone for their assistance, and I just wanted to chime in here to give a note of finality on this topic!