Smokers can't equalize

[DeepBlueSea45305]

Me and my Fiance are getting our OW with a trip to GC the problem is that her boss has told her that because she is a smoker she will have great difficulty equalizing at depths of 50ft and or greater. My fiance works in the faculty and clinical affairs office of a major medical university so her boss is a well respected surgeon. Is smoke being blew up my fiance's backside by one persons opinion? I know all about the eyes,ears and throat thing but for her to say this it has really almost scared my fiance into NOT diving. Can anyone help me with documented information i can present to my fiance that refutes what this perticular Dr. has so freely given?

 

[Boogie711]

Equalization becomes easier the deeper you go, since the pressure differential is less. One needs to equalize twice as often during the first 30 feet as during the next 30 feet, and 1/3 more often in that 30 feet as the next 30 feet, etc.

 

[crispos]

Well, I can't refute that there are little green men on Mars, either.

The other way should be told. Your surgeon should give some scientific explanation for those assertions.

Your fiancee apparently has done the pool course, so she has managed to equalize in the deep end of the pool. The pressure change from 0 to 10 feet in a pool exceeds the pressure change from 50 to 60 feet, the maximum depth that you can be certified to.

 

[DandyDon]

While we're waiting on a medical professional, I'll give you this layman's experiences:

I've smoked for too many years, and I've never had problems equalizing. Some Newbies have problems, but I didn't.

Can smokers have any more trouble equalizing? I guess, as the smoking can irritate the sinuses, etc.

Will the problem happen "...at depths of 50ft and or greater"?? If those were his words, he may not be a diver. The greatest equalizing challenges happen in the shallow waters where pressure changes are greater relative to depth.

That is, from 0 to 33 feet is a 100% increase in pressure, while from 33 to 66 is only 50%, from 66 feet to 99 only 33% change.

If she can take Sudafed without problems, that's the most popular med to assist with equalizing. It's a good decongestant, I take it every day, but - it's chemically similar to speed, and some people should not take it.

A Diving ENT physician would be your best source...

 

[starfish365]

her boss has told her that because she is a smoker she will have great difficulty equalizing at depths of 50ft and or greater.

Can't be true...was a smoker when I first started diving and had no problems what so ever equalizer at any depth....Her boss is blowing smoke outta somewhere...exactly on what basis is he passing this judgement to her...and what right did he in the first place....just me $.02

Smoking has nothing to do with equalizing - it has to do with the ability to breathe. I'd be curious on his report regarding asthmatics and diving. PS - I'm also asthmatic...

 

[DivemasterSteve]

i am a smoker and when i first started diving i was a HEAVY smoker (3 packs per day) and i have been down to 142 feet without a problem. i do have bad sinuses so there are times i have a problem for the first 15' but after that, its no problem at all. my problem down to 15' dont have anything to do with my smoking though, my ENT doc said as bad as my sinuses are, he is amazed that i can dive at all and he wanted to cut on me right then. he could only give me a 50% chance of the cutting working and he said if it went bad i definitely couldnt dive anymore. LOL, i told him i'll just keep taking sudafed and not let him cut and he agreed that was the best thing for me at that time.

steve

 

[gtxl1200]

Me and my Fiance are getting our OW with a trip to GC the problem is that her boss has told her that because she is a smoker she will have great difficulty equalizing at depths of 50ft and or greater. My fiance works in the faculty and clinical affairs office of a major medical university so her boss is a well respected surgeon. Is smoke being blew up my fiance's backside by one persons opinion? I know all about the eyes,ears and throat thing but for her to say this it has really almost scared my fiance into NOT diving. Can anyone help me with documented information i can present to my fiance that refutes what this perticular Dr. has so freely given?

I smoke I Dive.... I have dove with a lot of smokers.. I have ear troubles as if you read further down in this catagory you will see. Mine is related to allergies and not properly using ear clearing techniques. Tell you girlfriend she can dive maybe see a diving ENT for more satisfying answers. I have Dan insurance and they refered me to a diving ENT and we are working on some meds for me to help in my ear delimma. He did say I need to quite for other health reasons as all dr's do but he said it caused no problem to my diving except I probably am harder on air consumption being a smoker versus a non smoker.

 

[quimby]

Can anyone help me with documented information i can present to my fiance that refutes what this perticular Dr. has so freely given?

As Boogie711 stated the greatest change is in the first 33ft where the atmospheric pressure is doubled so volume is cut in half etc.etc.etc. I smoked when I first started diving and smoking was more prevalent then and never saw a correlation tween smoking and clearing. I used to swim the anchor down on wreck dives and plant it down to 100ft or so by just rocking my jaw and dont remember ever a problem. And while teaching if people could clear in the shallows generally its a non problem. Maybe a better question is can the good doctor substantiate the claim? I would tend to believe that smoking would dry out eustachion tubes and cause them to stay open, as well as the tubes connecting the sinuses and cause problems by being less mucus and too open, but Ill leave that to the meds to reason and not my conjecture.

 

[jagfish]

If it were true, nobody in Japan would be able to equalize, since I would estimate 80% of the divers I see smoke...

JAG

 

[pipedope]

But if you can equalize while getting to 50' then will will have no trouble deeper. It is the first 10-20' that is the biggest challenge for clearing the ears.

"Somebody" is blowing smoke.