Tips for clearing you ears

[ocpaul]

Even if you dive alot, you may experience some trouble clearing. However, I do believe that being relaxed in the water helps a person to clear.

Practice of different methods helps to put a number of tools at the disposal of a diver. Best to try the least invasive first, such as just swallowing or exaggerated swallowing.

A yawning type of move might work too - although you do need to be a bit careful not to spit out your reg when doing this manuver.

I have usually found that pinching the nose and giving a GENTLE blow clears me when all other methods fail. You just need to remember not to get too violent.

Good luck.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Clear before descending by pinching the nose and blowing gently. Make sure you can hear them click open. Clear again as you decent. Ensure slow decents and equalize all the way down, otherwise come back up till you can. At depth, hang around and wait for her to become comfortable. On the way up, reverse squeese may occur. Instead of pinching the nose and blowing gently, just do the reverse and try to inhale through the nose. There you go, happy diving............

 

[eab]

She can usually clear one, but not the other.

First off, make sure she's going down feet first. If she's using the valsalva (aka "pinch and blow"), make sure she tilts her head back. Also, have her tilt her head so the ear she's having trouble clearing is facing up. The head tilt straightens the eustacian tubes while the ear up helps direct the air flow to the problem ear.

Yes, "early and often" does mean even before you hit the water, and at the surface at the very least.

Relaxing even though she may feel like she's holding up the class by not descending with the group will help too.

Lastly, practice, practice, practice.