In the interests of all of us here, and maybe just me, I invite the DB membership and all your ear nose and throat certified friends to chime in on this topic.
EARS.
Here's the deal- lots of space has been taken up here with the how-to's of clearing. With hands, without hands and upside down and inside out. Here's my problem, er, question-
My eustachian tubes are pretty well buggered up and the up and down of freediving leaves them more swollen than Jessica Simpson on the morning after her wedding night. Or so I've been told. Anyways... what have you experienced in the matter of reducing swelling so as to continue diving that day and the days after?
Here's a scenerio- here in the great Nor Cal where the abalone and fish are usually from the surface to 50 feet (or +/-17 meters for you euro types) it's no big deal to spend the better part of the day making the bottom and being OK to have an audible conversation at days end. But when this guy goes to Florida, Mexico or deep into So Cal, often called Mexico where the diving need to be on the order of 70 feet and more, the ears say "fini" after half a day. They do this with an audible squealing and mushy popping followed by a general shut down of the ability to even pound the air into them to clear, and at the surface at that. Them tubes is just tied so to speak. And while it's a minor bummer when you're at home and an hour from the beach, it's a definite pain in the wallet to go 3000 miles and be relegated to boat driver. Especially when the fish show up. Is it technique, is it not being used to the increased depth, is it....age?
I wanna hear, so to speak, about what you do to alleviate the swelling. What are the meds, the diets, the quaint habits and the oddball yet effective cures to gain that ease between the ears.
If you, like me, irrigate the sinuses, take over the counter meds to ease allergies, and shun dairy and still lay awake at night listening to the crickets popping behind your eardrums, this thread is for you. If you're an oldster and still banging, what's the secret other than genes? And like I said, if you've got an MD after your name on the business card, I especially invite your reply.
EARS.
Here's the deal- lots of space has been taken up here with the how-to's of clearing. With hands, without hands and upside down and inside out. Here's my problem, er, question-
My eustachian tubes are pretty well buggered up and the up and down of freediving leaves them more swollen than Jessica Simpson on the morning after her wedding night. Or so I've been told. Anyways... what have you experienced in the matter of reducing swelling so as to continue diving that day and the days after?
Here's a scenerio- here in the great Nor Cal where the abalone and fish are usually from the surface to 50 feet (or +/-17 meters for you euro types) it's no big deal to spend the better part of the day making the bottom and being OK to have an audible conversation at days end. But when this guy goes to Florida, Mexico or deep into So Cal, often called Mexico where the diving need to be on the order of 70 feet and more, the ears say "fini" after half a day. They do this with an audible squealing and mushy popping followed by a general shut down of the ability to even pound the air into them to clear, and at the surface at that. Them tubes is just tied so to speak. And while it's a minor bummer when you're at home and an hour from the beach, it's a definite pain in the wallet to go 3000 miles and be relegated to boat driver. Especially when the fish show up. Is it technique, is it not being used to the increased depth, is it....age?
I wanna hear, so to speak, about what you do to alleviate the swelling. What are the meds, the diets, the quaint habits and the oddball yet effective cures to gain that ease between the ears.
If you, like me, irrigate the sinuses, take over the counter meds to ease allergies, and shun dairy and still lay awake at night listening to the crickets popping behind your eardrums, this thread is for you. If you're an oldster and still banging, what's the secret other than genes? And like I said, if you've got an MD after your name on the business card, I especially invite your reply.