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can you do this?

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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The111

Shallow Water Whiteout
May 29, 2004
155
29
118
Hi all. New to the forums here. Semi-experienced freediver - self-taught, mainly at Blue Springs in Orange City, FL. After watching someone blackout a few years ago (and not even knowing it was a risk) I figured I could use some more knowledge about the sport (especially considering the guy who BO'd had much more training and experience than me, but I was going as deep as him). I stumbled upon these forums and thought it would be a good place to ask this question. Another thread about different ways of equalizing made me think of it.

I have a really weird thing I can do with my ears, I've done it since I was little. I can easily equalize them hands-free (on the surface and in shallow water - but for the purposes of this post I'm referring to on the surface) by moving my jaw, my tongue, or by simply doing nothing (it seems that way at least, I can just will it to happen and hear a click in my ears and it feels like they fill with air, with no other body parts moving). I don't know from a technical, biological standpoint exactly what happens when you equalize, but it feels like I move a flap inside my ear and it fills with air. I can keep that flap open for as long as I want, and I suspect most of you can do the same thing - hold your nose, blow, and keep that "blow pressure" and you'll feel like the flap is "staying open". Hopefully this makes sense. When the flaps are open and the airs are full of air, all sounds are perceived louder by my eardrums. When I was little I would sit at my desk in school and fill my ears with air and hum to myself (keeping the flaps open, hands-free). I could hum so quietly that no one near my could hear it, but inside my head it was super loud and buzzing.

Ok, so here's the weird thing I can do. With no hands, I move the muscle that causes the "flap" to "open". Then, while holding it open, I breathe in very quickly through my nose. It feels as if the flaps are now inverted. I'm exerting no effort through any muscles (no longer trying to hold the flap any which-way) but the ears feel a weird tightness in them (the opposite of when you clear them) and I can leave it like this for minutes or hours. All outside sounds are perceived QUIETER by my eardrums. I shit you not, I've actually used this at loud concerts or places where noise is getting on my nerves, as a sort of makeshift earplug. When I want to return my "ear valves" to their normal status I simply do a hands-free clear. It's not comfortable to do for too long though and when I clear the pressure it's a huge relief.

Is there anyone else that can "turn their flap inside out", for lack of better vocabulary? I explained this to a vocal instructor once who knows a lot about how all those passageways work and she understood me perfectly but was shocked and said she had never heard of it. I've asked friends and they can't do it either. Am I really that unique? :confused:
 
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Hi The111,

I can make the "clicks" in my ears like you said, "by doing nothing"
The sound clicks I get are like when one swallows.
But I can't equalize hands free.
I also can get in the same quieter mode but by closing the nose with my figgers, trying to suck air in, and moving my jaw forward and down (mouth closed). I used to do it a lot when I was a kid during boring classes!! eh! eh!
Its a little hard for me to get back to the "normal" mode hands free, but with jaw movement sometime I can do it.

Welcome to the forum,
cheers,
Rui
 
The 111,
I can do the same thing although not quite as well as you can. I have to stick my tongue to the top of my mouth and almost yawn.
This pops the flaps open. I reckon if you practise this you can equalize hands free - my dream!!
take it easy pal.
About the in bult ear plugs, i usually try it out when i hear Tony Blair or good old W Bush droning on!
 
The111, I know exactly what you mean...I can do the SAME thins...Dont know how I learned it but i did! I was thinking to ask about it here but i didnt know hot to ask it because my english is too bad.
 
I can also do almost the same thing. Click the ears open with a swallow and hold them open by pushing the jaw forward. I had glue ear as a kid and used to do it so I could hear my teachers better (then they put tubes in my ears for a year and I was fine)

I can still do it without problem on the surface and was fine equalising hands free when I made some chamber dives last year - but I can't do it in the water....

wish I could

Sam
 
Dont worry your not a freak! :p I can do the same thing but strangly I cannot yet do it underwater! I use the valsalva technique when going down... but when I go up I am able to do it freehand... wierd, but im working on it!
 
The main thing I was curious if other people could do was the "reverse equalizing", or sucking in quickly and causing the ears to feel like they get plugged up. I know many people can equalize hands-free but I never knew anyone else could do this... but already a few have said they can so that's good. :) Just to clarify, I've never tried this underwater as it would have no purpose, so it's not really related to freediving, I just asked it here since I figured you guys are more aware of what you can do with your "tubes" than non-divers. :)
 
flaps

Is there anyone else that can "turn their flap inside out", for lack of better vocabulary? I explained this to a vocal instructor once who knows a lot about how all those passageways work and she understood me perfectly but was shocked and said she had never heard of it. I've asked friends and they can't do it either. Am I really that unique?

oh dear. my one track mind is derailing again. somebody stop me.. :)

I just asked it here since I figured you guys are more aware of what you can do with your "tubes"

is it just me?
 
I "bent" an eardrum doing an exhale dive last year - it leaked air but had no hole that the doc could see - this was a lot like the sucking in and feeling your ears get plugged up thing you talk about - so be careful!
 
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