Tips for first time diver, trouble equalizing ears

[Rearviewmirror]

Hi all,

My wife went on her first every discovery dives last weekend, and while she loved the experience she had a really hard time equalizing and so was limited to 10-15ft of depth.

Usually on planes she's able to equalize her ears by swallowing, and has never been able to use the Valsalva technique. She tried that approach but found it really hard to swallow/equalize with the regulator in her mouth. After the dives we looked up techniques, and it looks like there are alternatives (Frenzel, Toynbee etc.) but I'm not too sure where to go from here. When we tried a few methods on land, the only technique that seemed to get her nostrils to puff out a bit was using the K-sound variation of Frenzel, but again I'm not sure that'd work with her regulator in.

I don't want to push her to try again, but we're scheduled to dive together again in Hawaii in August and so I want her to be able to figure this out, as unfortunately not being able to equalize is literally the one skill you can't really get past.

Does anyone have any tips either on finding an instructor who is particularly good at helping folks who can't equalize, or ways she can figure out a technique that works?

My main goal is to not put a bunch of pressure on her to either pursue diving, or learn to equalize, but she enjoyed the experience absent the fact her ears hurt her for a good chunk of the dive. We were lucky to have a very patient instructor, but I feel like if the next dive she tries is similar she'll probably never want to try again.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[kaylee_ann]

I had the exact same issue as her actually. I swallow to equalize and it can be hard at first with the reg. I just bite down on the mouthpiece a little and swallow saliva. also, if she isn't relaxed and is stressing over it, it gets harder. she can always try using a different mouthpiece- some are easier. thats what I had to do.
good luck to her!

 

[kaylee_ann]

oh btw if she's diving and her ears hurt/swallowing won't help, ascending a bit until her ears clear works.

 

[Rearviewmirror]

I had the exact same issue as her actually. I swallow to equalize and it can be hard at first with the reg. I just bite down on the mouthpiece a little and swallow saliva. also, if she isn't relaxed and is stressing over it, it gets harder. she can always try using a different mouthpiece- some are easier. thats what I had to do.
good luck to her!

Thank you! Did it get easier for you over time? I think one thing she found hard was the dry air meant she didn't have much saliva to swallow!

She was pretty good at ascending independently, unfortunately that just meant she was 10ft or so above us for a lot of the dive

 

[kaylee_ann]

Thank you! Did it get easier for you over time? I think one thing she found hard was the dry air meant she didn't have much saliva to swallow!

She was pretty good at ascending independently, unfortunately that just meant she was 10ft or so above us for a lot of the dive

hm, ya know, my mouth never gets dry from the air. it definitely got easier, by the way she doesnt need saliva to swallow. it's a bit harder though. maybe have her drink a good amount of water before the dive so her mouth isn't dry pre-dive.

 

[inquis]

Can she do the Valsalva on the surface? Often people leave it too late, so definitely clear (however she can) on the surface before even starting to descend. Descending head up is also said to be helpful.

 

[Rearviewmirror]

Can she do the Valsalva on the surface? Often people leave it too late, so definitely clear (however she can) on the surface before even starting to descend. Descending head up is also said to be helpful.

Nope - it's never worked for her at sea level or on airplanes.

 

[GreggS]

It took me a while but I finally figured out that working my jaw works best for me to equalize. I found if I gently thrust my jaw forward, I instantly equalize. It will probably take a little practice with the regulator in her mouth but after figuring it out, it comes as second nature. Now, some of my dive buddies are amazed at how fast I can descend while they're still trying to equalize.

 

[PatW]

As GreggS has said sometimes there is a variation on a technique that works. I find if I o the valsalva technique and it is hard to equalize that tilting my head laterally to the ear I am clearing works usually.

I had the covid diving hiatus and when I dove again last year, clearing was hard. On the last day of diving, I even had a mild reverse block that did resolve. Odd thing was that after that trip, I dove again in a couple months and it was easy. I also found myself more prone to seasickness but each trip I get more resistant.

As a third thing, ear clearing often is helped by doing it over time. Maybe doing so kind of limbers up the connections or something.

 

[scubaNYC16]

Afrin or a steroid nasal spray like Flonase helps a lot. Afrin works faster but is addictive, steroid spray takes a couple of days.