What proportion of scuba divers can equalize ears "no hands"?

[DBPacific]

Vasalva doesn't work at all for me, so swallowing or yawning/jaw stretching without hands are my only options

 

[Raphus]

I couldn't when I learned diving.
Then I really was practicing it on land. All the day. But I still had problems when I had a mouthpeace in my mouth.

Then I practiced it more. So much, that I could do it while diving and didn't have to think about it anymore.

I now have the habit to equalize my ear, while inhaling when I dive.
So I never think about equalizing anymore. It just happens on every breath.

Only when I am sick I have to use valsalva from time to time, but that's really rare and only on my left ear, for multi dives, when I am sick.


But to answer the question: most divers can't.
Valsalva is still the most used technique.

 

[Hojo in SC]

I can, but I also find it very easy to do while on the motorcycle as well, whereas my wife always has difficulty.

 

[GreggS]

I had been unable to equalize without the nose pinch although I didn't like doing it that way. And I had been trying for a long time to do it hands free. Then while diving in Roatan last month, I really concentrated on doing it hands free because we were doing sawtooth dives. For some reason after just a few tries, it suddenly clicked and I was able to do it. I don't think I pinched my nose again the rest of the week. Now it' so easy I can't figure out why I was unable to before.

 

[agilis]

"...and that laugh that wrinkles you nose
touches my foolish heart"

 

[RyanT]

Often just wiggling my jaw will do it, but then sometimes it doesn't, so a little pinch and blow then. I can do it without a pinch probably 40-50% of the time.

 

[huwporter]

Wiggle of the jaw does it for me. I have to say I almost never consciously think about equalising any more, probably 90% of dives I don't need to use a hand to equalise even once.

 

[TMHeimer]

You know actually wiggling my jaw also produces the "crackle" sound in my ears I mentioned last page. I suppose any of the usual methods described in scuba course manuals will achieve that sound. The trick is finding out how to get it done internally without other motions.

 

[DiveClimbRide]

I can, just use muscles to open the eustatian tubes, took about 80 dives of diving frequently to get it down. Now I only use my hands when I'm very congested. Also when free diving I can still do it but it's a lot harder and less consistent.

 

[Knockneed Man]

I can, usually from just swallowing or thrusting my jaw and moving my ear muscles about 80% of the time, even at a fast decent rate head first. Occasionally I’ll get a little too far or miss an equalization and have to use my fingers on my nose or even come up a little, but that’s not often.