Equalizing

[and9744]

Can water in a ear cause you not to be able to equalize.

 

[fisheater]

On the outside of your ear? No.

 

[and9744]

inside of your ear

 

[beanojones]

If you have water on the inside of your ear (medically speaking), you should not be diving because you got a hole where the water is getting in.

But then again, equalizing with a hole in your ear is no issue at all, as long as you have one hole per ear.

When treating unconscious people or non-divers in the chamber poking a hole in the ear is a matter of fact thing. But that under dry pressure.

 

[and9744]

I am trying to figure this out because today i was going to dive and couldn't pass 20 ft couldn't get my right ear to equalize. That was the first dive so i sat that one out went and got some swimmer ear drops used those then went for the second dive and had no problem at all equalizing.

 

[fisheater]

There's no correlation.

You equalize your ears by pressurizing the inside of the ear. Swimmer's drops can only affect the external part of the ear.

 

[boulderjohn]

I am trying to figure this out because today i was going to dive and couldn't pass 20 ft couldn't get my right ear to equalize. That was the first dive so i sat that one out went and got some swimmer ear drops used those then went for the second dive and had no problem at all equalizing.

That was a coincidence. As you go for repetitive dives, both during a single day and over several days, it is usually easier to clear the ears as you go through the sequence. Your failed attempt to do the first dive is what probably made the second dive possible.

When I was a new diver, I had a lot of trouble clearing my ears--a lot. I quickly learned that I would struggle on the first dive, and then do a lot better on the second dive. The next day was better, and by the third day I would have no trouble at all. After that, I learned to start working on clearing my ears before I even went on the vacation. I worked on it on the plane flight. When I arrived at my destination, I would go snorkeling and free dive down as deeply as I could without ear pain repeatedly, getting a little deeper each time. On the boat rides leading to the dive, I equalized repeatedly, and I equalized again before getting in the water. By then my Eustachian tubes had gotten the idea of things, and I was able to dive. Today, because I dive so much more frequently, I don't have any trouble.

One other tip is to avoid going too deep while trying to equalize the first time. If you got to 20 feet on that first dive, you should have been able to equalize enough to finish the dive. If you get through the first 15 feet or so, you are usually good to go. If you go deep enough before equalizing to feel strong pressure or mild pain in the ear, then your Eustachian tubes are really squeezed down, and equalizing will be more difficult. Ascend until you feel only mild pressure--if that--and try again.

 

[BradMM]

I was lake diving recently and the pressure was actually above my eyebrow. I know there are sinuses there but I've never had problems. I was able to equalize by holding my nose and blowing... gently. I used to not need to do this and now take OTC meds along to try to keep the sinuses in check.

 

[AfterDark]

Equalize early and often, before you feel any pressure or pain. If you feel pain rise a few feet until the pain goes away THEN equalize. I've never used swimmers ear drops but if they are some kind of anti-inflammatory it may have had some effect. The best way to keep your ears easy to equalize is dive regularly. After a few dives at the start of dive season, I can just bite on my mouthpiece and clear my ears. You can too.

 

[dfx]

It sounds like that when you talk about "inside" of the ear, you're actually talking about the ear canal, which is part of the outer ear. It fills with water as soon as you put your head under water. The rest of the ear (middle ear, inner ear, i.e. everything past the ear drum) remains dry.