I used to try the valsalva technique during my SSI course in cold Lake Zurich but I would always end up hurting my ears. On the first dive on our holiday in Belize, I'd almost given up hope to ever enjoy Scuba Diving, when I was suddenly able to equalize by simply moving my jaw forward. Together with the clear, warm sea water and the stunning sight under water, this was one of the most relieving and beautiful experience in my life!
Thanks! Just sitting here trying these techniques (especially yawning with my mouth closed), I am pretty confident it will help me. I've had problems equalizing during the first 30' on several deep dives-my left ear in particular. I've always managed to equalize, but feel bad holding up my dive buddy or, in one case (at Blue Grotto in Florida), the entire group. I have allergies and am almost always somewhat congested, so I'd probably consider the 12-hr decongestant. Anyway, I'm sure that with more practice I'll get comfortable with whatever works best for me.
Always an interesting topic when teaching kids to dive as their Eustachian tubes are often less developed and hence more difficult to equalise. Enjoyed watching your video. My daughter actually finds it easier to descend horizontally very slowly while equalising. #scuba4families
Master diver looking at Dive master here. Never a prob, until last dive. Just could not get right ear clear,.. pain sucked. Resurfaced, sinuses cleared abit as usual. Rested and went slowly the next dive. Dive was fine, same for next couple, but did feel like there was fluid in my ear for about a month after.
This video is right on time. I just did my first dives ever last weekend. The current was strong and the ocean was rough so when I got back on the boat I ended up throwing up 3 times and I almost never get seasick. I had such trouble keeping my ears equalized during the dive and realized later after googling that that was the reason I got sick.
It screws with your equilibrium. Had this same thing happen to me at the range. Had my ear pro in but wearing a hat and didnt realize one ear pro wasnt seated correctly. Was firing in a shelter with a muzzle break on. Never noticed it was alot louder somehow until i finished shooting. Felt dizzy, off balance and sick. Tried to drive as we left the range but every time i blinked, it would get worse. Had to get the wife to drive home. Found out i perforated my ear drum. It was temporary and only lasted a couple days
Was a bit infrequent with my equalisation on my first deep dive, never normally have problems. Got to about 10m and couldn't equalise my right ear going down, went to go back up, couldn't equalise my left going up. Mild concern and gently floating about for a while going up and down finally allowed both to be OK, but it was playing on my mind for the rest of the dive.
@@DEVINE.IMAGE. Yeah I didn't have to on the way back from 30m but when it went wrong at the initial 10m stage I couldn't go back to 5m without equalising, I was getting quite spikey pain.
I discovered the valsava on my own even though I do not dive. I just pop my ears for fun and sometimes I over do it and eardrum hurts like heck as if it was torn. Recovery is usually within 24 hr and I can do it again without pain.
When descanting on my dives, I gulp air and that equalizes my ears. I haven't meet any other diver who does that too but I'm sure there are others who do the same thing as I do.
Did a trip to Oahu and had a dive booked. Ended up coming down with a sinus cold the day we were flying in. Flight there was horrible. Was wishing someone would kill me. Was suppose to do the dive the next morning but got the company to reschedule a few days later. While i was feeling a little better, still congested. Dive master said if i was on course i wouldnt be allowed to dive but im an adult and let me make the call. He informed me its better not to take meds rather then to take meds. Being the only none advanced open diver and sick, they were most worried about me. 107ft and zero issues. In fact the sinus congestion made it easier to equalize. Didnt have to plug my nose to equalize my ears like normally. Just had to blow out my nose. So while equalizing my mask, it equalized my ears as well. When i came to the surface, the captain laughed and said clean my face off before getting back on board. A crap load of snot was coming out of my nose and mask. Cleared my sinuses right out.
My biggest issue is that I apparently have different sized Eustachian tubes, so one ear will stabilize long before the other one will. The only way I've seen to get the other to stabilize is to plug one ear with a finger, hold nose and blow hard.
I have my final dive tomorrow for OW and my ears don’t equalize that easily because the valsava doesn’t work for me and equalizing doesn’t work as well when I’m doing repetitive dives
The first time I dove was in a pool for my open water cert. After the dive I noticed that I had not known about some water in my ear until half an hour to an hour later. My ear hurts a very slight amount. I have to move my jaw a certain way that I normally wouldn't for it to hurt. I haven't had any issues equalizing. Can I still go diving this weekend to finish the class?
I had an issue equalizing my ears. I don't have excess wax and never had that issue. I don't know what it could be. But one ear refuses to equalize or seems like it does equalize but then the deeper I dive it's excruciating and feel like it's going to burst my ear drum. I'm glad I didn't force through anyways because I was about to since I didn't want to back away from my dive.
I equalize without anything i know it's weird i just do it and my ears make a clock sound I've done it for flying since i was little. I meant to move my ears mimicking my grandpa and i think that made my body learn how to move that ñ those muscles and i didn't know I was equalizing. I know I'm weird but I also float without moving in a stand up position or .. well any position lol. My instructor hated me for it while the floating test.
@Amy F I think I ruptured my eardrum on a steep decent. Did your ears heal on their own? What symptoms did you have? Did you use any medications? I am experiencing mild hearing loss and its so depressing
Well i have a query the problem with me when diving is that my right ear is easily eqyalized without any pressure but my left ear is a pain in the ass it doesnt equalise if i blow gently and the deeper i go the left ear pains way more than the right one
When equalizing on land is it normal to feel pressure in your ears? Also, does moving your ears back towards your head work as another method? I can do this and it feels the same but I'm not sure if it works or not.
I've had some trouble equalizing my left ear on the past couple confined dives, even though (I don't think) I have any congestion, and I've been equalizing as often as I can. I guess I've gotta try a different method.
Keep at it. I was having trouble at first as well! But my last 2 dives I've had zero issues with my ears. I clear once before even putting my head in the water, then clear every foot or so. Once I get to 10 feet I'm pretty much safe. The tilting head side to side also works.
while free diving, I find myself naturally swallowing with every stroke. each paddle down, I feel the equalisation go a little bit more. anything wrong with that?
I can drop down to 30 m: no problem. But if I go up and down too much (like during the rescue course when they spin you around) my ears just stop equalizing :(
REVERSE BLOCK + STUPIDITY.... The pressure to work 7 days a week, up to 4 dives a day was insane when I was employed as an instructor on Koh Tao in the 90's. Inevitably, sinus congestion occurred amongst our instructors, and we took to using Actifed to get through, due to the pressure on us to keep working. But it wears off.... There was though, a (retarded) solution.... Yes, brilliant idea - take some with you on the dive and pop it half an hour or so before ascending. Worked well until that one day I forgot to stash the Actifed in my suit.... I knew what I was going to have to do - surface with a reverse block!! The pain was excruciating and I hit the surface with what looked like a can of vegetable soup coming out of my ear.... Right eardrum blown out and crushed eustachian tubes. I felt like a twat. Had to stay dry for 5 weeks and no-fly until I eventually got back to the UK to see an ENT doctor and get it treated. It healed OK but my right eardrum is scarred. What a lesson. Shortly after I retired once I got my MSTD and haven't dived since.
Great vid...really informative even for a non diver like myself. Can I call for help and I have no financial connection here. Margarida, a young woman onboard Sailing into Freedom channel, has ear problems diving without bottles. If anyone could reach out to her to help that would be cool. She is as brave as hell but is struggling and needs advice. Thanks and take care everyone⛵️👍
I enjoy your videos, but believe they could be better with more graphics. A drawing of the ear would have helped on this one, and in the split fin video you didn't show a single pic. of a split fin.
@@pjsmith4369 Absolutely. As a cave diver, often depth in caves changes frequently, I used to take a SudaFed just to help with equalizing. Not uncommon to go 35ft to 60ft to 35 again, then to 90, 190, and back up.
I used to try the valsalva technique during my SSI course in cold Lake Zurich but I would always end up hurting my ears. On the first dive on our holiday in Belize, I'd almost given up hope to ever enjoy Scuba Diving, when I was suddenly able to equalize by simply moving my jaw forward. Together with the clear, warm sea water and the stunning sight under water, this was one of the most relieving and beautiful experience in my life!
Am I the only one who constantly rewatches all these videos cuz they bring a very calming presence
Thanks! Just sitting here trying these techniques (especially yawning with my mouth closed), I am pretty confident it will help me. I've had problems equalizing during the first 30' on several deep dives-my left ear in particular. I've always managed to equalize, but feel bad holding up my dive buddy or, in one case (at Blue Grotto in Florida), the entire group. I have allergies and am almost always somewhat congested, so I'd probably consider the 12-hr decongestant. Anyway, I'm sure that with more practice I'll get comfortable with whatever works best for me.
I usually do the valsalva while turning my head left and right also letting water in my hood helps me a lot.
I am SCUBA Instructor from Poland. Thank’s for an interesting video full of knowledge. Take care 😀💚🐬
Always an interesting topic when teaching kids to dive as their Eustachian tubes are often less developed and hence more difficult to equalise. Enjoyed watching your video. My daughter actually finds it easier to descend horizontally very slowly while equalising. #scuba4families
That's a great tip! Thanks for sharing!
Master diver looking at Dive master here. Never a prob, until last dive. Just could not get right ear clear,.. pain sucked. Resurfaced, sinuses cleared abit as usual. Rested and went slowly the next dive. Dive was fine, same for next couple, but did feel like there was fluid in my ear for about a month after.
This video is right on time. I just did my first dives ever last weekend. The current was strong and the ocean was rough so when I got back on the boat I ended up throwing up 3 times and I almost never get seasick. I had such trouble keeping my ears equalized during the dive and realized later after googling that that was the reason I got sick.
It screws with your equilibrium. Had this same thing happen to me at the range. Had my ear pro in but wearing a hat and didnt realize one ear pro wasnt seated correctly. Was firing in a shelter with a muzzle break on. Never noticed it was alot louder somehow until i finished shooting. Felt dizzy, off balance and sick. Tried to drive as we left the range but every time i blinked, it would get worse. Had to get the wife to drive home. Found out i perforated my ear drum. It was temporary and only lasted a couple days
Great video I do that yawn thing u do it is great to be able to continuously clear your ears on the way down
Was a bit infrequent with my equalisation on my first deep dive, never normally have problems. Got to about 10m and couldn't equalise my right ear going down, went to go back up, couldn't equalise my left going up. Mild concern and gently floating about for a while going up and down finally allowed both to be OK, but it was playing on my mind for the rest of the dive.
You get a feel for when u need to do it but on a deep dive it needs to be done alot on the way down dont need to do it on the way up
@@DEVINE.IMAGE. Yeah I didn't have to on the way back from 30m but when it went wrong at the initial 10m stage I couldn't go back to 5m without equalising, I was getting quite spikey pain.
@@jamesbuckle6077 I got that free diving and had to blow my nose to get the pressure to come out
I discovered the valsava on my own even though I do not dive. I just pop my ears for fun and sometimes I over do it and eardrum hurts like heck as if it was torn. Recovery is usually within 24 hr and I can do it again without pain.
When descanting on my dives, I gulp air and that equalizes my ears. I haven't meet any other diver who does that too but I'm sure there are others who do the same thing as I do.
I could be having a panic attack and hear their intro and their voices and be instantly fine.
😉👌
Not starting first course or had issues equalizing in the past, just clicked the video because its Friday feature. 😆
adam211086 same!!
That's what I like to hear!!!
Did a trip to Oahu and had a dive booked. Ended up coming down with a sinus cold the day we were flying in. Flight there was horrible. Was wishing someone would kill me. Was suppose to do the dive the next morning but got the company to reschedule a few days later. While i was feeling a little better, still congested. Dive master said if i was on course i wouldnt be allowed to dive but im an adult and let me make the call. He informed me its better not to take meds rather then to take meds. Being the only none advanced open diver and sick, they were most worried about me. 107ft and zero issues. In fact the sinus congestion made it easier to equalize. Didnt have to plug my nose to equalize my ears like normally. Just had to blow out my nose. So while equalizing my mask, it equalized my ears as well. When i came to the surface, the captain laughed and said clean my face off before getting back on board. A crap load of snot was coming out of my nose and mask. Cleared my sinuses right out.
Thanks for the great advise.
My biggest issue is that I apparently have different sized Eustachian tubes, so one ear will stabilize long before the other one will. The only way I've seen to get the other to stabilize is to plug one ear with a finger, hold nose and blow hard.
I have my final dive tomorrow for OW and my ears don’t equalize that easily because the valsava doesn’t work for me and equalizing doesn’t work as well when I’m doing repetitive dives
Great video.
If I equalize too often before dive it doesn't work for me
The first time I dove was in a pool for my open water cert. After the dive I noticed that I had not known about some water in my ear until half an hour to an hour later. My ear hurts a very slight amount. I have to move my jaw a certain way that I normally wouldn't for it to hurt. I haven't had any issues equalizing. Can I still go diving this weekend to finish the class?
Good info thank you 🙏 😊😄
I had an issue equalizing my ears. I don't have excess wax and never had that issue. I don't know what it could be. But one ear refuses to equalize or seems like it does equalize but then the deeper I dive it's excruciating and feel like it's going to burst my ear drum. I'm glad I didn't force through anyways because I was about to since I didn't want to back away from my dive.
Can the lenses be removed from the dive mask ? 😊
I equalize without anything i know it's weird i just do it and my ears make a clock sound I've done it for flying since i was little. I meant to move my ears mimicking my grandpa and i think that made my body learn how to move that ñ those muscles and i didn't know I was equalizing. I know I'm weird but I also float without moving in a stand up position or .. well any position lol. My instructor hated me for it while the floating test.
Dealing with middle ear barotrauma from equalizing issues a week ago during my open water checkout dive. It really bites.
Same here mate. Literally my first dive on open water last weekend. Swimmers ear and it's buzzing for the last week.
@@scuba_steve73 ditto. 3 weeks ago ruptured my ear drum during my open water checkout dive. I’m in the the Midwest and was diving in a quarry. 😢
@Amy F I think I ruptured my eardrum on a steep decent. Did your ears heal on their own? What symptoms did you have? Did you use any medications? I am experiencing mild hearing loss and its so depressing
@@amyf4324 how long did it take you to recover
Well i have a query the problem with me when diving is that my right ear is easily eqyalized without any pressure but my left ear is a pain in the ass it doesnt equalise if i blow gently and the deeper i go the left ear pains way more than the right one
When equalizing on land is it normal to feel pressure in your ears? Also, does moving your ears back towards your head work as another method? I can do this and it feels the same but I'm not sure if it works or not.
Same boat I can pressure in my ears but no popping sound on land but I feel perfectly fine, im going to see how it goes on my course
I've had some trouble equalizing my left ear on the past couple confined dives, even though (I don't think) I have any congestion, and I've been equalizing as often as I can. I guess I've gotta try a different method.
Shmadow try tilting your head to the right while equalizing. I have similar issue with one ear
Keep at it.
I was having trouble at first as well!
But my last 2 dives I've had zero issues with my ears.
I clear once before even putting my head in the water, then clear every foot or so. Once I get to 10 feet I'm pretty much safe. The tilting head side to side also works.
Except for in some extreme cases I basically don't do anything, they equalize themselves.
hello after how much time i can go diving after a sinus surgery ?
while free diving, I find myself naturally swallowing with every stroke. each paddle down, I feel the equalisation go a little bit more. anything wrong with that?
Just about to start first scuba course. Are the use of ear plugs good, bad, or neutral?
Bad, if you close the space you lose the ability to equalize it
Bad! Unless you get doc's proplus diving earplugs.
On my first dive, had no clue what I was doing xD
I could only equalise one of my ears if any haha
I get a pain even after hearing the pop.. then I get a reverse block when ascending
I can drop down to 30 m: no problem. But if I go up and down too much (like during the rescue course when they spin you around) my ears just stop equalizing :(
REVERSE BLOCK + STUPIDITY....
The pressure to work 7 days a week, up to 4 dives a day was insane when I was employed as an instructor on Koh Tao in the 90's.
Inevitably, sinus congestion occurred amongst our instructors, and we took to using Actifed to get through, due to the pressure on us to keep working.
But it wears off....
There was though, a (retarded) solution....
Yes, brilliant idea - take some with you on the dive and pop it half an hour or so before ascending. Worked well until that one day I forgot to stash the Actifed in my suit....
I knew what I was going to have to do - surface with a reverse block!!
The pain was excruciating and I hit the surface with what looked like a can of vegetable soup coming out of my ear.... Right eardrum blown out and crushed eustachian tubes.
I felt like a twat.
Had to stay dry for 5 weeks and no-fly until I eventually got back to the UK to see an ENT doctor and get it treated. It healed OK but my right eardrum is scarred.
What a lesson. Shortly after I retired once I got my MSTD and haven't dived since.
Great vid...really informative even for a non diver like myself. Can I call for help and I have no financial connection here. Margarida, a young woman onboard Sailing into Freedom channel, has ear problems diving without bottles. If anyone could reach out to her to help that would be cool. She is as brave as hell but is struggling and needs advice. Thanks and take care everyone⛵️👍
When I hold my nose it feels like my ears are going to blow
I enjoy your videos, but believe they could be better with more graphics. A drawing of the ear would have helped on this one, and in the split fin video you didn't show a single pic. of a split fin.
best advice... clean your ears on regular basis, stay healthy and use protection while having sex...safe diving!!!
9 minutes of water
Sudafed.
Can you use Sudafed before diving? It sure helps to rid my sinus of congestion on land.
@@pjsmith4369 Absolutely. As a cave diver, often depth in caves changes frequently, I used to take a SudaFed just to help with equalizing. Not uncommon to go 35ft to 60ft to 35 again, then to 90, 190, and back up.
Why is getting water up your nose considered so much fun?
MrGlenndini it’s not
@@dime275 It was certainly implied in the video. "Don't let water get up your nose." "boooooooo" yeah, killjoy".
@@MrGlenndini I think it was about the no drinking or tobacco...
@@amybrereton2417 Yes OK guys, I do get it. I was being facetious but apparently only the presenters can do that.
continuous equalization for me, but also alot of involuntary yawning 🥱