equilizing

[scubabrn]

Both my wife and I have trouble equalizing our ears, she on the left and I on the right.. a perfect match. We both take sinaid or watever it is. We even take time to descend, we are usually the last ones on the bottom. Will we eventually over come this by learning how to deal with it, or do we need an ENT to see us?

 

[H2Andy]

it does get easier as you do it

you're going slow, and that is good. start equalizing early, and do it consantly on
the way down. don't wait for pressure to build. keep on equalizing.

tilt your head and equalize as much as you can. this helps.

stop altogether if you are having trouble. ascend a few feet, equalize, and
start going down slowly, equalizing all the way

think of equalizing as something you do automatically without waiting for your ears to signal you to equalize

 

[Jandee]

I had the same problem, just my right ear. I'm successful by yawning with my mouth closed, tipping my head back and equalizing, and occasionaly exhaling throw my nose while swimming. The other thing I started was using a Nettie Pot, which is a salt water sinus rinse, sounds gross but it works. I use it every morning. I no longer have the sense of having fluid behind my ears the day after diving. Controling your heart burn also help. If you suffer from reflux, stomach acids irritate the sinus and eustachion tubes. Research the Nettie Pot on the internet. Walgreens carries it and is called "Sinus Rinse".

 

[Jason Ooi]

you're have to decent slow, start equalizing early and do it consantly on
the way down. If you fell pressure in your ears just stop at the depth keep on equalizing or ascent in a meter until you hear the "POP".

 

[RICHinNC]

I would suggest that you start the process long before you enter the water. I found that if I started eq'ing before I started gearing up.....as I put on my gear....just before I entered the water....and just before I started my descent....and...as I was descending....eq'ed before I was uncomfy in my ears....things worked a lot better.

 

[IwakuniDiver]

I also recommend doing a light valsalva before begining your descent.

As you dive more, it will get easier and eventually you'll be doing it without even thinking about it.

To reiterate what the others have said though, if it hurts, stop and ascend a few feet until it doesn't hurt anymore and then try again. Just remember to not "force" your ears to pop or, as I'm sure your were taught in your OW class, you can cause severe damage to your inner ear. Please be careful.

Scott

 

[rawls]

Agree with H2Andy...Equalize constantly on your descent. I think it will get better with time. Left ear, right ear. Everyone's eustasian (hope I spelled it right) tubes are not necessarily the same size. May be smaller in one ear than the other. My difficult ear is my left. But if necessary I will equalize every couple of feet if need be.

 

[SteveAD]

I second what Iwakuni said. get ahead of the pressure and stay ahead. do not go down and then try to match ambient pressure. do a valsalva and then descend to get the water equalize to you.

 

[boulderjohn]

First of all, I agree with everyone else so far.

Next, I want to talk about the fact that it does get better. Your ears are designed to equalize, but they aren't very good at it. That is because we rarely experience significandt rapid pressure changes in our lives, so the eustachian tubes are a bit unaccustomed to the process.

I have a history of sinus problems. When I first started diving, equalizing was a real problem for me. I am pretty sure that if we had dived together at that point in my diving career, you would have beaten me down. I was quite frustrated, especially when an instructor told me that I should consider the possibility that I might have to give up diving altogether.

Today, I barely give equalizing a thought because it is so very easy for me. I am not doing anythng differently. It is just that I do it so often that my ears are fully accustomed to it and are good to go from the start.

 

[jgmaroe]

Hey scubabrn-

I personally swear by a few different things. Sudafed helps, non-drowsy allergy meds (or an allergy specialist if your insurance covers it) as allergies may play a roll in clearing (possibly not for this, as you can in one ear and not the other, but hey it's worth a shot), and the clearing often by blowing out of your finger-plugged nose, followed by swallowing. Tip your head back, too, while clearing, as it opens up your Eustachian tubes. Do a google search on clearing... There are many people with this problem, therefore even DAN has done a fair bit of research regarding it.