Swallowing to clear?

[DivingCRNA]

I have heard people say for years that they swallow to clear their ears. I have tried it but cannot swallow with my mouth open.

I can clear my ears on an airplane by swallowing, but the regulator gets in the way of me swallowing while diving. I cannot manage to swallow. How are y'all doing it?

BTW-I never have trouble clearing by pinching my nose and valsalvaing.

 

[rje634]

Swallowing is the only way I can clear my left ear at the start of a dive day. I just put my tongue on the roof of my mouth and swallow. On the following dives I can just do the nose thing. Guess the ear loosens up after the first dive.

 

[Gary D.]

I have heard people say for years that they swallow to clear their ears. I have tried it but cannot swallow with my mouth open.

I can clear my ears on an airplane by swallowing, but the regulator gets in the way of me swallowing while diving. I cannot manage to swallow. How are y'all doing it?

BTW-I never have trouble clearing by pinching my nose and valsalvaing.

Practice closing off your throat. Do it walking around the house but make sure the drapes are closed. If your neighbors see you walking around the house with your mouth open acting like a bird the white coats may show up.

Gary D.

 

[gcbryan]

For me it's just automatic. I've never really had to do the nose pinching thing. I guess different things work for different people. As long as you can clear it doesn't really matter how.

 

[Gidds]

I swallow as well as pinch and blow and I also find that wiggling my jaw back and forth is useful since I have non-cooperative ears.

 

[wreckchick]

I honestly think this is a physiology thing. Some people can and some people can't. It's no big deal as long as you can clear one way or another.

Rachel

 

[TheRedHead]

Why do you need to have your mouth open? You don't really need to swallow as much as pretend to swallow.

 

[Gary D.]

Why do you need to have your mouth open? You don't really need to swallow as much as pretend to swallow.

Simulate having the reg in your mouth.

Gary D.

 

[TheRedHead]

Chomp down on the bite tabs and swallow? It may be a case of some can and some can't. I can also wiggle my ears and touch my nose with my tongue.

 

[KingViper]

Pinch the nose and blow. That's about it for me. No swallowing