Physically unable to equalize

[simmonsjr]

I was talking with a friend today about scuba and he confessed to me that he had once tried to get certified but that he was unable to equalize below about twelve feet. He said that the instructor tried every trick imaginable but that it just wasn't happening. He got his ears checked out but was told that his only option was surgery. Has anyone had any experience with this? Is there anything out there that might help him get around this? It works both ways his ears also kept him out of Army Airborne school. Thanks.

Jason

 

[doctormike]

Some people just can't equalize due to dysfunction of the Eustachian tube. I'm not sure what sort of surgery would help with that.

Sinus surgery can sometimes help people equalize their sinuses. Also, cases of chronic inflammatory ear disease (such as a draining ear or cholesteatoma), an operation can return an ear to normal function, but in that case there would probably be other symptoms...

 

[ptyx]

I've heard some people have really twisted/narrow eustachian tubes, and I knew people who had a hard time equalizing. I've never had ear troubles, however seeing others struggle it seems that:

1. Training helps - practicing 'soft' equalization make it easier
2. Forced equalization is harmful in the long term - being gentle (anticipate, 'softer' maneuvers...) is much better long term

Unfortunately, the only reference I have is in French:
Ear exercises, in french

As a summary: pinching the nose and blowing forces open the eustachian tubes, but is quite traumatic since at this point they're already forced shut by the pressure difference. Swallowing works for some lucky people, and is better. Simulated yawning (what they call 'BTV') works even better, and works naturally for some. The article describes a set of muscle exercises which allow you to soften/train the muscles around the tubes and which should help you doing the BTV even if you have a nasty case of twisted tubes. YMMV.

I'll have to translate that article at some point I guess :depressed:- unless someone else is feeling inspired? (Author is ok with translations as long as original proper attribution is there).

If your friend already looked for medical advice, and got told surgery was the only option - it probably won't help. On the other hand, if he reads French, it's free and won't hurt to try.

 

[Scuba31]

For years and YEARS I was never able to get my ears to "pop". Which meant flying, diving, and high altitudes were out of the question. I found out flying to Las Vegas that my ears wouldn't pop, that was some serious pain. I went to an ENT here in Roanoke, VA that is a diver who suggested that I try to equalize my ears twice a day every day. 3 months later I got my first pop. That was 1 1/2 years ago. I went back to my ENT and he did a pressure test and I got a new rating of better than normal. AND I got the all clear for diving. YAY!! I have now completed my classes and will be doing my check out dives here in a couple of weeks. I still equalize my ears twice a day every day. So I don't know if it is a helpful suggestion, to try to "exercise" the Eustachian tubes.

 

[Pearldiver07]

For years and YEARS I was never able to get my ears to "pop". Which meant flying, diving, and high altitudes were out of the question. I found out flying to Las Vegas that my ears wouldn't pop, that was some serious pain. I went to an ENT here in Roanoke, VA that is a diver who suggested that I try to equalize my ears twice a day every day. 3 months later I got my first pop. That was 1 1/2 years ago. I went back to my ENT and he did a pressure test and I got a new rating of better than normal. AND I got the all clear for diving. YAY!! I have now completed my classes and will be doing my check out dives here in a couple of weeks. I still equalize my ears twice a day every day. So I don't know if it is a helpful suggestion, to try to "exercise" the Eustachian tubes.

Thanks for providing a bit of confirmation that I've always suspected.

When I began, clearing was always an issue. But I noticed that as I dove regularly it got easier and easier. I now advise any OW class to start practicing regularly, while watching TV, etc., not just while in a diving environment.

By the way, there are times that it almost seems like a nervous tick for me, as I still regularly clear my ears. I don't have any issues though.

 

[simmonsjr]

Unfortunately, the only reference I have is in French:
Ear exercises, in french

Thanks ptyx. Sadly my high school french is no longer up the the job, but I'll pass the info on to my friend; maybe he can find someone to translate for him.

Jason

 

[simmonsjr]

For years and YEARS I was never able to get my ears to "pop". Which meant flying, diving, and high altitudes were out of the question. I found out flying to Las Vegas that my ears wouldn't pop, that was some serious pain. I went to an ENT here in Roanoke, VA that is a diver who suggested that I try to equalize my ears twice a day every day. 3 months later I got my first pop. That was 1 1/2 years ago. I went back to my ENT and he did a pressure test and I got a new rating of better than normal. AND I got the all clear for diving. YAY!! I have now completed my classes and will be doing my check out dives here in a couple of weeks. I still equalize my ears twice a day every day. So I don't know if it is a helpful suggestion, to try to "exercise" the Eustachian tubes.

Scuba 31 if it worked for you it may work for him. I'll tell him about it. What method did you use when you were "exercising" your E-tubes?

Jason

 

[Scuba31]

The same as when you equalize underwater - hold your nose closed and gently blow. For those first 3 months I thought it was never going to work and my ears were never going to pop - goes to show just how bad I wanted to dive.

 

[bleeb]

He might also want to have a look at this video (long). The instructor may have tried most of the techniques described, but there's a chance there's one he/she didn't mention.

 

[ptyx]

If it works, your friend owe me a virtual beer...
(some help from Google translate so I didn't need to type everything - moderators feel free to fix/improve)

Gymnastics of the Eustachian tube

I have personally experienced enormous difficulties to "pass the ears" at the beginning of my training as a diver. It was impossible for me to freedive beyond 10 feet. Until the day an instructor gave me a list of exercises designed to develop the ability to open voluntarily the Eustachian tubes. One month after starting this program, I was freediving to 60 feet. No comment ...

Here is a series of training exercises to BTV (Béance Tubaire Volontaire = voluntary tube openning). This is the most gentle way to "pass the ears." Origin of material: Sports Medicine, Bd St Marcel, Paris.

General Instructions

• Remove necklaces and all that grips the neck.
• Straighten the head rather than looking down.
• Hold the hyoid bone in one hand without shaking too hard and get in front of a mirror to see Adam's apple, or hold a mirror in the other hand (Note: The hyoid bone is the little bone that holds Adam's apple).
• The exercises are done preferably in the morning, fasting; observe a 5-second rest between exercises.
• The duration of this program is 1 month, divided into 4 1-week periods.

Exercises in the first week

Do these exercises three times every morning on an empty stomach, for a week. Exercise slowly, with a 5 second pause between exercises.

A. Tongue exercises

1. Mouth wide open, pull tongue forward so as to reach your chin with the tip of your tongue. Then, mouth still wide open, bring the tongue back, leaving the tip of the tongue on the floor of the mouth. Push back and down the base of the tongue. Check the lowering of the hyoid bone and Adam's apple in the mirror. It should be at its maximum.
2. Mouth wide open, put the tip of the tongue behind the upper incisors and, with the tip of the tongue, scrape the palate backwards trying to touch the uvula.
3. Mouth wide open, the tip of the tongue being applied against the lower incisors, get the tongue out of the mouth as much as possible, the tip of the tongue always remaining applied against the lower incisors.

B. Exercises with the soft palate

Mouth wide open, tongue at rest in the mouth, do a swallowing movement, stopping when the soft palate starts to contract. Check the lowering of the hyoid bone. This exercise, the most important, is successful where the beginning of swallowing causes nausea. (ptyx: sounds like fun!)

C. Combined exercises with tongue and soft palate

Mouth wide open, the tip of the tongue against the lower incisors, the back of the tongue being pushed down and back, practice an incomplete swallowing movement, stopping at the stage of contraction of the soft palate. Check the effectiveness of this exercise. The hyoid bone, moved down by the thrust at the bottom and back of the base of the tongue must be lowered even more by the movement of incomplete swallowing arrested during contraction of the palate.

...to be continued...