Scuba_Timmy:
Hey all,
I am totally stuck and need some help!
Im undertaking my OW course right now but cant pop my ears to save my life! I know this is frequently asked but I just need a really useful tip.
I have tried every last technique to no avail, last time I attempted too my nose bled for hours and i could barely hear for days..all this happened just on the sand without the prerssure!
If and when I do manage to get some sort of response from the tubes, it feels as if the air stays as a 'lump' in the middle of the tube and NEVER makes it out all the way. This feeling stays for days!
Can anyone provide some actual help, as my instructor says to .."just blow harder!"..YEAH RIGHT! HELP!
There could be any number of reasons that you are having problems, but one of the most common for new divers is that they try too hard. Your eardrum hurts when it bends due to pressure whether it be water pressure pushing it inwards or you using too hard a valsalva menouver pushing it outward. Most students in a pool will equalize once going down 8-10', but the first couple of times in open water, they may equalize several times going down the same depth. The ear starts to hurt and they blow harder making it worst. Next time you have problems, stop for a few seconds but do nothing. Slowly decend a few feet and see if the pain gets better or worst. If the pain goes away, you were bowning too hard or too often. If the pain gets worst, you will have to come up several feet and try again. This is even a problem for experianced divers who do a chamber run for the first time. In a dry chamber you have no idea how deep you are unless you look at a guage. Most chamber runs take you down slower than you expect and many people have problems because they have overdone it.
Also, the eustatian tube is flexible and shifts under pressure. If you wait too long before you start to equalize, the end of the tube will be pushed up against a bone which will block off the opening making equalization impossible no matter how hard you blow. What you must do here is relax, and asscend several feet (to release the pressure) and try again.
Blowing too hard or waiting too long may rupture small blood vessels in the nose or sinus and cause a nose bleed or blood coming down the back of your throat. If you go too deep (as little as 8-10') without equalizing, nature trys to do it for you. Nature trys to balance the presuure by bleeding into the middle ear which may also come down the throat. With this, you often get hissing or crackling as you asscend or descend. After the dive, you will have a fullness sensation in your ear. Many people refer to it as water in the ear (thats what it feels like) but it is probably blood unless actually ruptured the ear drum which usually causes severe dizziness. If this happens you are usually out of diving for a few days as the blood will clot in the tube making it even more difficult to equalize. Decongestant sprays several times a day will help clear these clots. Most doctors recommend against using decongestants prior to diving as many wear off quicker under pressure or the higher PP of oxygen and may cause problems towards the end of the dive. Others may cause an increase in blood pressure. Still others seem to cause higher levels of narcosis at shallower than normal depths. If you use them, definately consult a hyperbaric specialist before hand.
Remember, air is bouyant. Sometimes simply descending feet first is enough to solve the problem as as air will naturally flow up the tube to the middle ear.
The secret is, take it slow and easy and start early. A light puff as you leave the surface and every few feet afterwards is usually best. If it starts to hurt or if you have to blow harder, stop and asscend a few feet first. NEVER hold or breath or try too clear your ears as you asscend. As you come up, the pressure will come off automatically. If you had problems going down, you will often have problems coming up. If you have bleeding on one tube and not the other, the pressure will not be released evenly and you may get slightly dizzy coming up. Just slow your asscent and hopefully hold onto your asscent line if you have one.
If you can equalize on the surface, you can do it in the water. Having said that, if you have a head cold or congestion, try equalizing before putting on your gear or getting on the boat. If you can't do it on thje surface, you'll never do it under water. Hopefully this helps
