[DeepThought]

I wouldn't wanna make this the common channel for air to escape to (as in braoden it), so I would have tried practicing on equalizing while not letting air escape through the tear-duct. This can probably done by equalizing more gently against a lower resistance from the e-tubes, which can probably be done by equalizing more often as the more pressure you are missing (the more you descend since last euqalization) the more tight your e-tubes are. Another thing that can help reducing equalizing resistance is to learn handsfree euqalization.

As for what harm can be done by equalizing that way? Got no clue... maybe more risk for nasal/sinus infections because things from one space invade another, maybe less (tears have immunologic properties).