equalizing ears

[kittyfish]

I know it's probably an oldie, but for newbies still a goodie....

I've completed my pool dives and theory for the OW, and have had some trouble equalizing my ears. I eventually get the job done when I hit bottom (only 10ft). I've tried pinching and blowing, and swallowing, but they just won't clear on demand. Now, with my open water starring me in the face, and knowing that the depth is going to be at least 30 ft, I'm nervous.

First, any tips for getting the job done quickly?

Next, is there a big difference in how the pressure feels at 10 ft vs. 30 ft with regard to equalizing ears.

Also, any thoughts about over-the-counter products that may help with this problem.

 

[Zept]

Hi Kittyfish,

Don't despair, it gets easier.

First, any tips for getting the job done quickly?

Nope. If you're having problems, go down more slowly. Go up a bit, relax for a few seconds, and then try again. You'll get to the bottom more quickly if you take your time... sounds crazy, but it's true.

Next, is there a big difference in how the pressure feels at 10 ft vs. 30 ft with regard to equalizing ears.

I find equalising gets easier as I get deeper. I often have to stop at around 5-6m (15-20ft), but if I'm patient for a bit, my ears calm down and the rest of the descent is easier. Partly it's simple physics -- the volume changes get smaller as you get deeper.

Hope your OW dives go well,

Zept

 

[pipedope]

There are lots of ways to equalize and several things to learn.
First, the first 10 feet have the largest pressure change of the dive. That is, the rate of pressure change is greatest near the surface.

For more on your ears and equalizing go to;
http://faculty.washington.edu/ekay/index.html
and look for "The Divers Ear ..."
http://www.washington.edu/uwtv/ondemand/HealthyU.html#diver

Practice, and equalize early and often.
Pressurize your ears before you start down and keep equalizing continuously as you go down.

 

[Welshman]

I take it that you don't suffer from any irritation or pain after the dive in which case you might have an inner or middle ear infection. If so, see your doctor.

Otherwise as Pipedope and Zept have said it's a combination of practising equalising often and descending slowly particularly in the early stages.

I'm sure it will soon be second nature to you.

 

[Walter]

Like Zept said it gets easier as you get deeper. Being nervous will increase your difficulty. Try to relax. If you can't make it down you can always do it next time. If you made it to 10 ft you'll be able to eventually complete your dives.

"any tips for getting the job done quickly?"

Yes! First, excercise the muscles you'll be using. You can do this by chewing something crunchy prior to the dive - apples, carrots etc. practice the valsalva before the dive. Go down a line. I prefer an anchor line because the angle of descent slows your descent and assists you in equalizing. A good buddy comes in handy if you are having trouble. As you hold the down line with one hand, pinch your nose with the other and gently blow into your nose. As you do this, have your buddy massage your neck under your ear at the junction of your neck and the corner of your jaw. As always, go very slowly, begining your attempts to equalize on the surface and equalize continously on descent. If you feel pain ascend until the pressure disappears.

Have fun!

 

[JamesK]

Like others have said, equalize before you descend. A method that I use makes it so easy for me, that I do not even have to think about equalizing. I simply exhale into my mask on every breath. This requires no thought or effort on my part. Just amke sure that you have some good mask defog, and are not worried about a slight leak in your mask seal.

 

[WreckWriter]

As others have said, equalize early and often, that's the main trick. Another trick, if you're having trouble, is to be sure you are in a vertical, head up, position. Never force equalization, if it doesn't happen fairly easily, ascend a few feet and retry. If you force it you'll "sqeek" your ear and that hurts, often for days!

Just try to relax and go slow. Since you're talking about your first o/w dives, your instructor will (or at least should...) have a descent line for students to use. Use this line to keep yourself from drifting either up or down in the water column while you get equalized. Hold the line with one hand, get your buoyancy squared away as well as you can and equalize with the other. Rocking your head from side to side sometimes helps too.

As for "over the counter" things, that's not recommended. If you're sick, don't dive, if you're not sick, you shouldn't take medications. Some folks use sudafed but there are contraindications for. The Docs say it's a bad idea.

The biggest trick? Relax. This is supposed to be fun and if it's not, it's not worth doing. Good luck to you.

Tom

 

[ScubyDoo]

You said youve tried "squeezing and blowing" and it still didnt work. It sounds like you may be waiting too late to begin equalizing. Normally, if you can feel any pain whatsoever in your ears, its already too late to equalize. If you try to equalize through the pain you can injure yourself.

I usually warm my eardrums up good by equalizing several times before I even enter the water. I'll equalize again just before I start my descent. After my descent begins I will equalize after each breath (before it hurts). Our training pool is 14' deep, and I usually equalize 2 or 3 times before I hit bottom.

Hope that helps!

 

[NJdiver85]

Lots of good advice here. If you remember one thing, it's to equalize on the surface and almost continuously as you descend(even though you may not feel pressure).

 

[LilmanHSU]

You guys ever see the ProEar2000 Dive mask??

http://www.proear2000.com

Does that actually work?!