Scuba diving exposes you to ear pressure effects not encountered on land. If you can not equalize your ears while you descend, your dive is over. Have you ever had to cancel a dive because you could not clear your ears? I have. Here are some scuba diving tips that might make it easier for you to equalize your ears.
As a diver descends they feel the increase in pressure in their ears. If we do not or can not correct the pressure by equalizing we run the risk of injury.
To equalize the pressure in the ear, we pass air through the Eustachian tube into the middle ear. This makes the air pressure in the middle ear the same as the pressure of the water around you. The method used by most divers is the Valsalva maneuver. You can do this by blowing gently against pinched nostrils to equalize ear pressure with that of the water around you.
Some divers will equalize by swallowing repeatedly or by moving their jaw side to side. The important thing is to find the method that works for you.
Ear Clearing Tips
Relax: Slow, even breathing patterns will help you relax. This also relaxes the muscles around the Eustachian tube and makes in much easier to clear your ears.
Start to Equalize When You Begin Your Descent: As you make a slow, controlled feet first descent, start equalizing as soon as you feel your head go beneath the surface of the water. Then equalize every 3 feet/1 meter or so until you reach the bottom. Don’t wait until
your ears start to hurt. Remember your basic scuba certification course, equalize early and often.
Ascend If You Can't Equalize: If you have problems equalizing while you make your descent, ascend a few feet to relieve ear pressure slightly, and then try again. If after a few tries you still cannot get your ears to clear, you should call off the dive to avoid an ear injury
.
Never Cover Your Ears: Never use ear plugs or anything tight over your ears when you dive. Check your hood to make sure that it does not fit too tight. This can make it hard to clear your ears.
Do Not Dive With a Sinus Problem or a Cold:
Any kind of nasal congestion can cause blockages in your airway. This will prevent you from clearing your ears and sinus. These blockages are caused by sinus problems and colds. If you do attempt to dive with congestion, you can get a nasty reverse squeeze. This happens when the air spaces cannot clear when you ascend. Taking decongestants will not always work at depth and often wear off during the dive. This will also cause a reverse squeeze.
Being able to equalize properly is vital for comfort while diving. We hope these scuba diving tips for ear pressure relief will help you have a more enjoyable diving adventure.
As a diver descends they feel the increase in pressure in their ears. If we do not or can not correct the pressure by equalizing we run the risk of injury.
