For Instructors: Equalizing

[TSandM]

I'm curious about what and how various instructors and DMs teach new divers equalization techniques. After a couple of years on this and other boards, it seems to me that one of the most frequent questions from new divers goes like this: "I did my OW/AOW/first tropical dives, and now my hearing's muffled and my ears crackle . . . How do I get the water out of my ears?"

I know, in my OW class, I was told to equalize early and often, and I believe I was told to Valsalva to do it. I'm quite sure nobody watched me do it on land, nor were any other methods of equalizing discussed. And I'm also quite sure that nobody described the sensation in the ears that tells you you're a little LATE equalizing.

Given that buoyancy control is difficult for new divers, it seems as though a little more time spent on ears and equalizing, and making sure people really understand the techniques they can use, and that equalizing early and often means BEFORE you're uncomfortable, would be well worthwhile. So I'm wondering if my experience was typical, or if some of you out there have a more thorough discussion of ears that you do.

 

[Zoomer]

I agree with you 100%... nothing was really taught in my OW class either and the second day of OW I had trama to both ears... took me 3 weeks to get back to normal. I think every diver and/or new to diving should watch this video and practice...

Healthy-U

 

[Nick_W]

I spend a decent amount of time on the topic. I make sure to describe and demonstrate several different ways to do it. My main point in my ramblings though is to emphasize the importance of equalizing early and often and that you shouldn't wait until you feel like you need to equalize to do it.

I've never really had anyone complain that they couldn't equalize, I've had a few that had a hard time, but we just take it slow. I keep my classes small and we all go down together, very slowly, I show everyone that yes, even I am equalizing my ears every few feet, and I do watch to make sure everyone is equalizing. I can't really say I'm making sure they do it "right" because if they're able to equalize by shoving their toes up their nose and singing Auld Lang Syne backwards in Swahili then that's the "right" way for them to do it.

I personally spend so much time on making sure they do this because I've noticed that about half of people who either don't finish a certification with another instructor or who finish it and never dive again and then come to me for a refresher are the folks who experience pain or discomfort on their first dives.

 

[Ann Marie]

In my classes, we talk about it in the classroom. We all practice it. I've got an article I have that gives different techniques that I hand out, either that one or the one that DAN has. We practice different techniques in the classroom.

I tell the students that this is the most common way new divers are injured and this is a serious issue and I need their complete attention.

When we are in the pool and working on descending, I teach that the the first exhale, besides using to descend should be used to equalize. Then as we are descending, I over-emphasize myself equalizing several times. Most of the time, new students are watching me and then continue to equalize on the way down.

 

[diverdowndh]

Getting ready for the Physiology test for DM tonight, I finally read about something I use all the time diving, just didn't know what it was called - the Valsalva. And, one of the first posts I read this afternoon has it named... how cool.
In the pool this past weekend while watching/helping with an OW group, I wondered the same thing. It seems equalization is something glossed over and discussed, but with some of the problems I saw a few people have, my mental note to myself would be to try to explain this process a little more if/when I end up as an instructor or AI.

 

[piikki]

I am not an instructor but think I'd give kudos to my OW instructor by remembering his equalization advice anyway He had had a lot of ear problems himself and did stay on the issue a while - even though during the dives I felt like he was a bit speedy going down for some of us who were just learning.

He did emphasize that there is no one way that works for all, and you should always obey the discomfort/pain and not be as stupid as he had been. He mainly taught the blowing and swallowing methods, and also reminded that if you are horizontal and cannot clear it might help going vertical, and doing the same maneuvers again.

Also because we dive in cold water and with thick hoods, he taught us the tricks that had helped him a lot, namely making sure you crack a tight seal with the hood and let some water in. Or direct some of your exhaust bubbles into the hood on the side of the ear that is being sluggish.

Mainly he was pretty good at reminding several times about the fact that the ears "will blow" if you ignore the pain. I have wisened up since childhood but am still amazed that I did not burst a drum or two those times I dropped to 3-4 meters and had no idea about equalization. Can still remember the screaming tightness...

 

[Joe-Diver]

We spend a good bit on this, describing to the students how to do the valsalva, partial yawn, jaw wiggle, look up, etc...and we have them practice it gently on the surface, relating it to riding in an airplane or elevator and your ears pop....we also describe the feeling when you fail to do it, the long squeak when you do it late and the consequences on your inner ear. We finish by talking about over pressurization, swimmers ear and using drops. The first few trips to the deep end we watch students very close making sure they're comfortable and are equalizing correctly.

Failure to do this would be a disservice to your students.

 

[Pearldiver07]

I have spent a lot of time poolside working with students on the various "tricks" to clearing their ears before we do our first OW dive. First time in OW the student has enough to focus on besides having an ear issue. Besides, a pool provides enough depth with a controlled environment that allows the student to figure out how to clear more efficiently.

Besides the Frenzel and Valsalva methods, I regularly remind my students that for best results that they need relax and to clear their ears just *before* their head goes under, then frequent and often. An early student of mine (and now an instructor herself) found that this worked well.

My original OW instructor was very good, but I always had problems, particularly on my right side. Because of that, I have learned many techniques that I can pull from my "bag of tricks" to help a student.

But first and foremost - I learned to NEVER try to push past a squeeze.

 

[jeter]

In the class room, I teach my students that if they do not equalize they will feel pain. If they still do not equalize the pain will go away ... right after the ear drum bursts. It might be a little graphic but it gets the point across. I also teach them all the methods plus some tricks I have picked up over the years.

Then I talk about snot. I tell the students that if they do not equalize early, snot will get stuck in thier tubes and equalizing will be more dificult after that. I do not know if this is medicaly accurate, but it sure helps the students to remeber to equalize early and it seams to describe the trouble most people have equalizing if they do not do it early.

In the pool on the first descent we go over equalization again right before our head goes under water.

Jay

 

[RJP]

As a DM working with students I've started telling people that they should "equalize continuously, starting on the surface."

Trouble is no matter how much you say "equalize early and often" people don't equalize early enough or often enough. I've heard well-meaning instructors emphasize "this means every few feet..." but how many feet is "every few"? There's a big difference between 2' and 5' for many people. By the time someone realizes they are having difficulty they may be too deep to overcome the ambient pressure - even at 5-10' - and then it turns into a whole "failure/stress/failure" cycle.

So, equalizing on the surface is "as early" as you can start and equalizing continuously is "as often" as you can do it. This removes any vagaries and will ensure that they will have equalized "early enough and often enough" allowing them to experience the positive reinforcement of successful equalization. As they become comfortable in the water and equalizing in general they will be able to dial back "how early" and "how often" to whatever is most appropriate to them.