Newbie Equalizing problems

[ExactFunctor]

My first open water dives happened in two places over two days. The first place was a quarry, with about 15 ft viz and pretty warm water (warm for Illinois in September, that is). The second dive was in a rather cold lake.

I didn't feel sick or have a runny nose so I hoped that I wouldn't have trouble equalizing...that turned out not to be the case.

The frist dive...ever:
I dropped to the bottom like a rock. When I reached the platform I clearly wasn't equalized and my ears hurt. So, I signaled my instructor and went up a little bit to the point where I thought that I had equalized properly. However, upon descent my ears still hurt a little but that feeling went away in about 20 to 30 seconds.

The second dive.
Slower descent this time, but my ears still hurt on the bottom, with the feeling going away in about 30 seconds.

Third dive:
About the same as the second, though my memory may be failing me by now.

That was it for that day. As we left for home, my girlfriend had to drive because I was either sick from the dives or just getting sick. My nose was runny and I claim to have had a slight fever. My ears hurt a good deal.

The next day and the fourth and final dive:
I was feeling a bit better, but it might have been the adrenaline. However, my nose was sliiiightly runny, I think. Nonetheless, I completed my final dive and it turned out to be not as bad. It was similar to the third one.

Two days after that my ears were still feeling like there was water in them and the pressure wasn't letting go. So, I went to a doctor and after running tests, all of which came back fine, he said to just wait it out and not dive for two weeks. No problem, doc, we didn't have any plans until...this January. I'm hoping to not repeat this situation. Was it really the first dive that messed up the rest?
Is what I've experienced common?

By the way, as an interesting sidenote, it turned out that my girlfriend had a little bit of blood in her ears after the diving. This was discovered during her general physical check-up. She said that she just lasted out the pain (I know, I know) because she didn't want to sound like a wimp. Oh well. No permanent damage, but it wasn't fun when it lasted.

 

[DINO JAKOBI]

In the future, try going down slower and be less overweighted!
Do the old sqweeze the nose thing to equalize your ears as much as possible and if you can't equalise you should end the dive! rather than damage your ears!
Don't let the excitement get in the way of your judgement in the future!
I have had this problem a few time in the past and i just stopped my descent went up a little and then I was able to equalize! if I wouldn't have been able to that would have been the end of my dive that day!

Happy new year and take care

 

[Santa]

Any pain means youre stressing it - there should be no pain at all times and if you suddenly feel it it should be responded to immediately. No such thing as waiting it out or bearing it. Ascend and relieve the pressure.

It's normal for new divers to believe they're equalizing when they're in fact not - or not doing it often enough. So many things going on with the gear and everything - somehow it just doesn't happen as often as they think it does, and suddenly the pressure is to high.

Next time try equalising before ascending - at the surface, then descend real slow, feet first so you can fin, and equalize every 1-2 feet. If there's any pressure stop -ascend - equalize - descend slowly. That's the procedure.

also you wanna make sure that your technique is actually working. When you pinch your nose and blow can you make it "balloon"? Can you contol the amount of pressure you put on your eardrums? Do they go slightly "click" as they should?

anyhow if youre doing it right, and it's not a medical condition - which it rarely is - I think you'll find that after a few dives it just sorts itself out, and I'm not just saying that.


happy diving.

 

[moneysavr]

Hey did you guys pass your open water? If so congrats!
Ok the ear thing,be safe go slow and do as the books tell you slow and often!
I look back on my first open water dives and how I allmost hung my fins up due to the ear squeeze.
But on my first deep dive after I got my OW like 55' as I got down to depth and cleared my ears wam !!! my ears cleared and after that it was a breeze, a DM I was with said I just cleared out the year of crud in my ear tubes.
Hey good luck and keep on diving!
Brad

 

[del_mo]

I begin equalizing before I start my descent and again with each breath as I descend. Ahhhh, to be able to equalize by twitching my jaw would be a dream come true!

 

[ExactFunctor]

Hey did you guys pass your open water? If so congrats!
Ok the ear thing,be safe go slow and do as the books tell you slow and often!
I look back on my first open water dives and how I allmost hung my fins up due to the ear squeeze.
But on my first deep dive after I got my OW like 55' as I got down to depth and cleared my ears wam !!! my ears cleared and after that it was a breeze, a DM I was with said I just cleared out the year of crud in my ear tubes.
Hey good luck and keep on diving!
Brad

We passed without a problem. Thanks!

 

[fairybasslet]

You probably traumatized your ear after the first dive and it never felt right since. Like the others say, go slow. I have a lot of problems with my left ear. I bought Doc's Pro-plugs (the vented kind) and that has helped somewhat. It also keeps the water out of your ears. I also learned a new technique (for me) from a DM in NC who has to get down fast to anchor the dive boat. After you pinch your nose, breath in a little first (with your mouth closed) to create a vacuum, then blow out gently. It works like a charm for even my stubborn ear. I also equalize on the boat before diving, then every 5 ft or so. The first 50 ft or so are the worst. I wiggle my jaw, swallow, I use everthing I can. Good luck.

 

[Robtjm]

Hey there. I had an almost identical experience last fall when I was getting certified. On my fourth dive I was unable to equalize, and I ended up bruising my ear drums. Ouch! My doctor said in the future I ought to consider sitting on the beach rather than diving.

I hate sitting on the beach, and I'm going to Bonaire this winter. So I contacted the Divers Alert Network to see what their advice was. The person I spoke with told me that I should try taking pediatric neosynephrine nose drops 1-2 hours before diving. Evidently the nose drops are best at getting to the eustacian tubes, and for many people open them sufficiently to allow equalization. He also recommended trying to equalize with every breath, especially at the beginning of the descent. So I'll be trying both of these things. Hoping to avoid the beach.

Also, the owner of my dive shop told me that some people equalize better if they wear a certain typ of ear plug called Doc's Proplugs. He didn't know why they worked, but for some people evidently they do.

 

[Damselfish]

I recently tried Proplugs and they worked great for me. My ears are just on the slow side and get crankier after a few days of diving. With the Proplugs it was amazing how easily I could clear, it was wonderful. Don't know why they worked for me but I'll take it.

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

Common problem and popular topic. Scroll down this list for tons of info on equalization issues: EAR EQUALIZATION THREADS I have allergies/sinus issues and decongestents really help my ear equalization. I take regular sudafed-Pseudoephedrine only-no antihistamine. One important note: You'll have big problems if the decongestant wears off while underwater so plan accordingly. There is a 12 hour version available.

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