Tips For Easy Equalizing
Listen for the “pop.”
Before you even board the boat, make sure that when you swallow you hear a “pop” or “click” in both ears. This tells you both Eustachian tubes are open. Start early. Several hours before your dive, begin gently equalizing your ears every few minutes. “This has great value and is said to help reduce the chances of a block early on descent,” says Dr. Ernest S. Campbell, webmaster of “Diving Medicine Online” (see: www.gulftel.com/~scubadoc/entprobs.html). “Chewing gum between dives seems to help,” adds Dr. Campbell.
Equalize at the surface.
“Pre-pressurizing” at the surface helps get you past the critical first few feet of descent, where you’re often busy with dumping your BC and clearing your mask. It may also inflate your Eustachian tubes so they are slightly bigger. Many authorities recommend this, but some disagree. Dr. Murray Grossan, another diving doc and webmaster (see: www.ent-consult.com/referralindex.html), says, “Equalizing on the surface should not be done. Only inflate when you need to. Pre-pressurizing is not beneficial.” Most of us find it does, in fact, help. The lesson here is to pre-pressurize only if it seems to help you, and to pressurize gently.
Descend feet first.
Air tends to rise up your Eustachian tubes, and fluid-like mucus tends to drain downward. Studies have shown a Valsalva maneuver requires 50 percent more force when you’re in a head-down position than head-up.
Look up.
Extending your neck tends to open your Eustachian tubes.
Use a descent line.
Pulling yourself down an anchor or mooring line helps control your descent rate more accurately. Without a line, your descent rate will probably accelerate much more than you realize. A line also helps you stop your descent quickly if you feel pressure, before barotrauma has a chance to occur.
Stay ahead.
Equalize often, trying to maintain a slight positive pressure in your middle ears.
Stop if it hurts.
Don’t try to push through pain. Your Eustachian tubes are probably locked shut by pressure differential, and the only result will be barotrauma. If your ears begin to hurt, ascend a few feet and try equalizing again.
Avoid milk.
Some foods can increase your mucus production. Dairy products can cause a fourfold increase.
Avoid tobacco and alcohol.
Both tobacco smoke and alcohol irritate your mucus membranes, promoting more mucus that can block your Eustachian tubes.
Keep your mask clear.
Water up your nose can irritate your mucus membranes, which then produce more of the stuff that clogs.