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clear-ease?

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

andrsn

Just visiting...
Aug 26, 2001
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anyone know about these lozenges or other remedies for swollen eustachian tubes? i've read a bit about the clear-ease, but am interested to hear if anyone has used them and if they've had success?

thanks,
anderson
 
answer to my own question...

hey folks,

i actually found out that the active ingredients in this stuff is fruit enzymes. i also found out that papaya enzyme, which can be purchased at your local health food store works just as good. you actually stick these little tablets between your cheek and gums somewhere towards the back of your mouth and let them dissolve. they take about 15-20 minutes to do so. anyways, this does seem to help my cranky inner ears when they're packed w/ all that good slimy stuff. :D

good clearing,
anderson
 
E tubes and enzymes

Hi andrsn,
Interesting idea. One of my buddies gets sticky ears after several hours of free diving. He uses sudafed, but even that fails late in the day. Do you think the papaya enzyme would help his situation?
 
Wow this post was from many moons ago. :D

I never get sticky ears anymore and I don't even have to use sudafed or papaya enzymes. I found a way to prevent inflamation of my eust. tubes w/ technique. It's pretty simple... clear before you feel pressure. One way or another, you're going to have to give up that air for equalizing, so it's not like waiting till the last minute's going to really give you any advantages.

Also, no beer the night before and make yourself drink lots of water through the night and tons in the morning.

Also, on the subject of equalizing... find out what technique your friend is using for equalizing. I have come a long way w/ the frenzel (sp?) and find that it can be done in a very controlled and smooth manner compared to the brute force valsava. :blackeye I've found that clearing early and smoothly (not ballooning your eust tubes!) can get me through 8hrs in the water w/ no probs. :cool: I'm also fighting a chronic infection of one of my turbinates so slow descent and smooth equalizing is a must for me.

Good luck,
Anderson
 
papaya etc

Hi Anderson,

Thanks for the info. especially on the frenzel, I had already sent him Eric F's article (wow, what detail), but its good to hear from someone in Florida that uses it. I hope it works for him but am looking for any other ideas. He is my diving buddy for a Long Island, Conception, Rum Cay trip in July, so I have a major vested interest. Cutting out the carousing won't help us much, we are both too old to carouse. He knows to clear from the surface, but neither of us had ever heard of the papaya enzyme thing. Do you think it will work in this case?

This thread was a little mature, but I'm very glad I found it (and your help). I have been slowly working back through all the threads: it is a treasure trove of information. Thought I was a pretty knowledgable diver until discovering this site, very humbling, and very very exciting.

Thanks again, several times.
 
The enzyme is pretty cool. It works sublingually (sp?), but you have to be pretty well hydrated for the full benefits. I'd stay away from anything w/ euphedrin in it. :naughty Not a great thing to use while freediving. In fact, I won't take any sort of medicine before a dive. :blackeye

The papaya enzyme pills are pretty cheap. Go pick some up and just try it. After about 15 minutes or until they're dissolved, start stretching your jaw and your ears/tubes/drums/etc. ;) It's pretty sweet.

Later,
Anderson
 
Question: Any problems with your throat (soreness, etc) after using the papaya? I also have chronic problems with sinus pressure even when having no trouble clearing my ears. Maybe this stuff will help with that also?
Thx, cliff
 
No, no probs w/ the throat. The Papaya is pretty mild but is pretty effective w/ the eust. tubes. :)

A
 
papaya pills

The papaya pills worked pretty well. Andrsn, thanks for the tip. Several of my party tried them and all reported positive results. The effect seems to be short lived, but it is easy to keep a couple of pills in your cheek. One odd reaction, my wife is very sensitive to virtually all chemicals, medicines, etc. She reported raw spots where the pills sat in her cheeks. Papaya is also used for meat tenderizer; I guess she got tenderized a little too much.

This summer has been my introduction to diving deeper than 20 m. Wow!! I am going to do a whole lot more of this. Thanks to all for the help.
 
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