equalization problem

[blueface]

My friend scuba dives and can equalize fine descending feet down but when he is head down and feet up he says he cannot equalize. Has anyone heard of this before and is there a remedy?

Thanks!

Skip

 

[cdavis]

Pretty normal for it to be harder to equalize head down, simple preasure difference between the lungs and ears. He must be "on the edge" of not clearing easily and putting his head down is too much, probably using valsalva. This problem yields pretty easily to practice and learning frenzel, at least until you get deeper than 20-30 m.

Connor

 

[Lobo Marino]

It seems a number people can' t equalise head down because of gravity:
when they are head down soft tissues can collapse and obstruct a not very patent eustachian tube.

Also many scuba divers get away with not very effective methods of equalisation because they have time..
What method of equalisation is your friend using ? if it ' s swallowing /wiggling the jaw ,it works for most scuba divers and it doesnt work for most freedivers (unless they are lucky enough to be able to perform BTV)
maybe your friend can assess his equalisation on land first (valsava or better frenzel) get in front of a mirror,pinch his nose very low,blow into his nose,watch the flesh above the nostrils inflate and feel his ears "popping" ,then try again the same but head down.
If he does it properly and if it works on land ,it should also work underwater.

 

[blueface]

Thanks for the rsponse Connor and Lobo Marino. I'll tell him to practice. I'm glad I don't have the same problem. I just wish I could BTV.

Skip

 

[Newbie_spearo]

There's no reason why everyone can't BTV, it's just practice. The more you try it the better you get and eventually it'll become second nature. I really should practice it mroe often when I dive, I just find it annoying having to descend slower, I think every time I dive now I'm going to spend 15-20 minutes each dive solely practicing frenzel and gradually spend longer doing it untill it becomes my primary form of equalisation.

 

[JennyWren]

It is harder because the air is going "up" (towards the surface), so when you are upside down it is at the bottom of your lungs. Practice, practice, practice, and it will get easier.

 

[Tony Babowicz]

In my opinion, (which should not be taken seriously) the most common problem with people learning to equalise head down is the head position itself. Of course there is the issue of the air rising to it highest point, but you only need a little air in your mouth to equalise. If your head is in a neutral position,meaning, looking straight forward, Your airway is relaxed. If you are looking for the bottom with your neck stretched out, you create tension in your throat and possibly compress the opening of your Eustacian tubes. When I was younger, I always looked for the bottom and seldom made it past 50feet. Now that I have learned about head position, I equalise much easier.

 

[blueface]

Thanks for the help. I sometimes look at the bottom (spearfishing) and besides making it harder to equalize, it creates a lot of drag. Thanks Tony.

Skip

 

[sgnips]

i too stretch my head while looking at my newbies, but it just takes a second to set it straight, equalize and then looking at them again
it's the same with the bottom...

 

[azapa]

you can stretch to look, just don't equalize at the same time. It is different past 35M or so in my case because stretching to look will more often than not lead to me loosing my poor mouthfill.

get in to the habit of first checking head position, and then equalizing.