equalization problems due to alergies! Need some advices...

[Mlaen]

I have problems with alergies and it's seriously affecting my equalising.
When I go diving everything is OK in first 10-15 minutes but after that there is no way to equalise my ears...
I don't know to do any more...I'm tryed few different typed of pills, using flixonase...
When I tryed to inhale salt water insted of equlasiting my ears better I couldn't do it at all...irony...
When I go see doctor I always get the same advices...and they are not really working...
Do you have any advices on this as a freedivers?
thx!

 

[DeepThought]

How frequently do you equalize? I think that pressure gradient can cuase irritation of mucus membranes.

 

[jome]

Also remember to blow all the mucous out of your nose after every few dives. Otherwise you'll just end up pushing that into your ears and then they're really blocked

If you sinuses are full of slime, you dive head down and then force pressure on you ears, you can imagine what happens. Just one of many tips...

 

[Mlaen]

I don't have any serious problems with sinuses for now when I'm not diving...
I equalize pretty frequently, usually when I feel a little pressure in my ears, but I have also tryed to equalise every meter but my ears block anyway... first my left or right ear blocks and a few minutes after the other one...

Also remember to blow all the mucous out of your nose after every few dives. Otherwise you'll just end up pushing that into your ears and then they're really blocked

I usually don't blow my nose so oftenly...I'll try! Thanx for that!

 

[DeepThought]

Mlaen, we have different definitions to 'very frequently' then.
Equalizing when you feel the pressure is already too late - the hydrostatic pressure first narrows your e-tubes and only afterwards starts pushing on your ear-drum as it is harder.
I equalize atleast every meter, sometimes twice a meter (or more than once per second), depends on how things are going.
I've rarely had any equalization problems that way and I'm not mucus free at all.

 

[subaquaticus]

I have problems with alergies and it's seriously affecting my equalising.
When I go diving everything is OK in first 10-15 minutes but after that there is no way to equalise my ears...
I don't know to do any more...I'm tryed few different typed of pills, using flixonase...
When I tryed to inhale salt water insted of equlasiting my ears better I couldn't do it at all...irony...
When I go see doctor I always get the same advices...and they are not really working...
Do you have any advices on this as a freedivers?
thx!

I think I got quite the same problem as yours...

Last winter I had no problem at all with my ears... Then since spring I have more or less hay fever... And I hade some pains in the ear while doing duck dives in a pool...

My advice (I transmit this advice from a DB member... apparently it works...) :

just before diving, try doing some slight Valsalvas "in the dry" in order o train your ears...

try to control your speed of descent... the ear is more sensitive to rates of descent than to absolute pressure...

 

[Mlaen]

Thanx for waisting your time on me guys
@Michael
I never had problems with equalising after I feel small pressure in my ears, ,but as I said I also tryed to equalise every meter and decend slow <1m/s but eventualy my ears blocks anyway

@Subaquaticus
I'll see if that is going to help...
Thanx for the tip!
-----

Anyway this eq problem happend the first time I went freediving this year... The water was very cold and I floded my hood with water so I tought this could be a reason... unfourtatly it wasn't

 

[subaquaticus]

Another trick given by a Swede (or a Finn, I do not remember...) for diving in cold waters...

Place a shoe string in your hood with an end outside... it will bring water little by little into your hood and your ears...

this little by little arriving of cold water into your ears will give time to cold water to become a bit warmer...

 

[Mlaen]

Yes, I saw that...nice trick...didn't try it but just how fast is water getting in hood that way?

 

[subaquaticus]

Yes, I saw that...nice trick...didn't try it but just how fast is water getting in hood that way?

through capillarity......... if it doesn't go quick enough for your taste, just open your hood a little bit...

 

[Mlaen]

I went diving yesterday and had no problems with equalising!
I was equalising more often then usually + pills and spreys =winning combinaton