Hands Free Equalization

[anthropisces]

Does hands-free equalization involve any type of pressurization such as is done with Frenzel? Or is it that the eustacian tubes are simply opened and the dead space in the ear canal equalizes in pressure with the throat?

 

[Simos]

I am really glad you posted this as I have the same exact question myself.

I personally open the e-tubes and then use Frenzel to push air up and equalise. But I am a bit confused when reading interviews of deep freedivers that use BTV because they seem to be saying that they open the e-tubes and kep them open and equalisation then just happens.

In theory it makes sense that if the e-tubes are kept open then air should flow in and equalisation should take place but I personally encountered issues - I can't say I tried much though. Constantly Frenzeling seems to work better for me but would be nice not having to do it.

Also it does sound funny given that they're tiny muscles involved but it seems to me that there is more effort required to keep the e-tubes open all the time than keep opening and closing. Would be really interested to know what others think and how they do it...

 

[Simos]

By the way I think the term 'hands-free' is confusing - do you mean BTV?

I am only saying it because obviously you can do hands-free by using a noseclip but that could be frenzel, Valsava, mouthfil or whatever method. I am using a mask but I have also tried handsfree without a mask or noseclip and I could still equalise with whatever it is I am doing...

I would assume that for BTV to be considered a different method it should not include a Frenzel (ie what I am doing) or other pressurisation - otherwise it's not anything different....

 

[anthropisces]

Yeah, BTV is what I meant

 

[Simos]

Will have some time in the water over the next couple of weeks so will try without Frenzel or any pressurisation by just keeping the e-tubes open and seeing if any equalisation happens at all.

I have a feeling that how I deal with equalising the mask will be important - I think if the mask is not fully equalised as you descent it would have less pressure and it will 'suck' air and perhaps it would be harder to equalise using BTV.

Anyway will try a few things and hopefully something will work but I have a feeling that head-down it might be tricky without pressurisation...

 

[manalive!]

I don't know how to perform hands free equalisation, but basic physics dictates that a positive pressure must be applied for it to work. The air spaces of the mouth and throat will compress at the same rate as the inner ear, so the pressure will be the same in all areas and there will be no pressure differential, thus no air will flow through the eustachian tubes. Hence a pressure differential must be applied across the eustachian to cause the air to flow in to the ear, though, as you're not forcing the eustachian tubes open with the pressure then the pressure can be relatively low. So, I'm guessing a slight mouthfill or gentle Frenzel will suffice.

As I said, I don't actually know, so someone will probably come and prove me wrong.

 

[Simos]

I don't know how to perform hands free equalisation, but basic physics dictates that a positive pressure must be applied for it to work. The air spaces of the mouth and throat will compress at the same rate as the inner ear, so the pressure will be the same in all areas and there will be no pressure differential, thus no air will flow through the eustachian tubes. Hence a pressure differential must be applied across the eustachian to cause the air to flow in to the ear, though, as you're not forcing the eustachian tubes open with the pressure then the pressure can be relatively low. So, I'm guessing a slight mouthfill or gentle Frenzel will suffice.

As I said, I don't actually know, so someone will probably come and prove me wrong.

This would be true if the body was a rigid container but you forget that the lungs actually compress and hence the air outside the e-tubes (mouth, lungs etc) should be at ambient pressure (depends on the depth). The air inside the e-tube should be at lower pressure as apart from the ear drum (which can only move so much), the rest should not be very compressible so I am guessing that the air in the ear should be at lower pressure than the rest.

So in theory I think there should be a pressure differential and air should flow into the air, especially if you are descending feet first. If you are head first it's a bit harder...

 

[manalive!]

No, quite the opposite, the lungs and all airspaces compress, that's a given. The inner ear will be at exactly the same pressure as the lungs, throat, mouth etc - why wouldn't it be, there's only a thin membrane separating it from the outside world? Equalisation is the action of maintaining the size of the airspaces that are not flexible enough to not implode, rupture or whatever under the compression, usually by taking air from more flexible areas.

 

[Simos]

No, quite the opposite, the lungs and all airspaces compress, that's a given. The inner ear will be at exactly the same pressure as the lungs, throat, mouth etc - why wouldn't it be, there's only a thin membrane separating it from the outside world? Equalisation is the action of maintaining the size of the airspaces that are not flexible enough to not implode, rupture or whatever under the compression, usually by taking air from more flexible areas.

The inner ear wouldn't be at the same pressure because of unless you do something to open it, the eustachean tube is closed by default and doesn't let air in, right? The reason you feel pain as you go deeper if you fail to equalise (ie open the eustachean tube) is that the air in the middle ear is at 1 ATM but obviously as you are deeper the outside pressure is more so the tympanic membrane will move 'in' because of the pressure differential.

If you were to open the eustachean tube then yes, the air in your mouth cavity should move into the middle ear and equalise it, assuming of course that the air in your mouth was at the same pressure as outside. I would have thought that this assumption holds true for shallow (-ish) depths but as you go a lot deeper this might not be the case so it could become almost impossible to equalise and various structures will collapse (eg lungs, trachea etc).

Anyway back to your question, basically as long as the eustachean tube are close there are two separate air spaces on either side of the eustachean tubes. One side can reduce the volume quite a lot because lungs etc can compress but the other side can't do the same (there is a bit of reduction beside of the ear drum and other structures but not huge).

In practical terms you can easily tell that the pressure is not the same by descending a bit without equalising and then voluntarily opening the eustachean tubes (if you can) without pressurising, you'll be able to literally hear and feel the air going into your ear driven by the pressure differential...

 

[cdavis]

To the original question:

Hands free is general term meaning any way you can equalize without holding your nose. A multitude of techniques can be used. BTV is specific, although you can get there multiple ways. BTV means using the muscles around the eustaction tube opening to open the valve. Some divers have conscious control of those muscles. They can move them like most folks move their fingers. Others can activate the muscles indirectly by moving their throat/scalp/ears around. Some of the later eventually learn how to be the former. Same practical result, very different process to get there. Of course, for BTV to work, you have to have a slightly higher air pressure in the throat than in the tubes.

Many divers use a combination of BTV and a soft Frenzel (working against the pressure in their mask). this can be done hands free. Some can just Frenzel or just BTV as desired.

I use both, can use them separately. With increasing depth, first I can do pure BTV, then need to add mild Frenzel, eventually, near my equalization limit, I have to grab my nose and Frenzel hard. Others will be quite different.

Connor

 

[Simos]

To the original question:

Hands free is general term meaning any way you can equalize without holding your nose. A multitude of techniques can be used. BTV is specific, although you can get there multiple ways. BTV means using the muscles around the eustaction tube opening to open the valve. Some divers have conscious control of those muscles. They can move them like most folks move their fingers. Others can activate the muscles indirectly by moving their throat/scalp/ears around. Some of the later eventually learn how to be the former. Same practical result, very different process to get there. Of course, for BTV to work, you have to have a slightly higher air pressure in the throat than in the tubes.

Many divers use a combination of BTV and a soft Frenzel (working against the pressure in their mask). this can be done hands free. Some can just Frenzel or just BTV as desired.

I use both, can use them separately. With increasing depth, first I can do pure BTV, then need to add mild Frenzel, eventually, near my equalization limit, I have to grab my nose and Frenzel hard. Others will be quite different.

Connor

Thanks Connor, that's helpful. I hadn't realised that I would probably need to pinch my nose. Like you at first I am doing a very mild or no frenzel, then frenzel a bit harder but after I couldn't anymore, didn't occur to me to pinch my nose (well it did my I didn't want to lol).

Do you lose air at all while doing hands free?

 

[cdavis]

No air loss. I think its just automatic, subconcious to not Frenzel hard enough to blow the mask seal unless I reach for the nose.

 

[growingupninja]

Yeah, hands free is voluntary for me, and has been as long as I can remember, and still works even on my deepest exhale dives although I may need a mouthfill in order for the ears to EQ. Makes me a pretty spoiled diver! I have never tried to see how long I can keep them continuously open but 5-10 seconds isn't much effort. Takes a smidge of mental effort to hold them open so when spearing I mostly pulse them open, although occasionally a tube is sticky and I have to think it open. On land, if they are open, things will sound different to me, sort of like there's an extra layer of wind, and my own voice will echo very, very loudly (to me) in my own head. When diving there is no air loss.

 

[Simos]

I tried a few shallow dives today to test it - my ears did equalise without me using any frenzel by just keeping the tubes open but I did feel a bit unsure, it was a bit like riding my ears for a bit and then waiting for air to (hopefully) go in and equalise so I didn't like the feeling of pressure build up even if they did equalise eventually. I think the main issue was with my right ear, it was a bit more tricky than the other.

With a light Frenzel I feel a bit more 'in control' as I can actually proactively equalise but as mentioned, I sometimes do end up losing some air (I think it should be ok if I put in the time to practice).

 

[anthropisces]

I can do a combination of a very light Frenzel (pushing against my mask) along with a BTV. This is not something I'd do on a standard descent though. I have to go slowly. Hopefully with practice the balance will tip toward BTV until that is my standard method. I am making progress.

 

[Mungdiver]

ahh ive been trying to find answers on this everywhere. i hope i can still get a reply. i use btv but i dont know much about it. i usually only dive to about 40 feet, a little over 10m. when i use btv i dont ever push air, all i do is open the tubes and then they equalize. so ive been trying to figure out if im letting air in through my throat or if water is flowing into my ears( i almost always come up with both ears full of water when i btv)., does anyone know?

 

[growingupninja]

ahh ive been trying to find answers on this everywhere. i hope i can still get a reply. i use btv but i dont know much about it. i usually only dive to about 40 feet, a little over 10m. when i use btv i dont ever push air, all i do is open the tubes and then they equalize. so ive been trying to figure out if im letting air in through my throat or if water is flowing into my ears( i almost always come up with both ears full of water when i btv)., does anyone know?

Water in the exterior of your ear has nothing really to do with your EQ, it's just water in your ears. There is a kind of EQ called a 'wet EQ' where you allow your sinuses to flood, and you will have water in your inner ears from your sinuses--it is a very strange feeling, not entirely comfortable the times I have experimented--but it's doubtful that's what you're doing. You probably just have easy voluntary EQ. When you dive deeper it may get a little harder for you and you might need to incorporate other techniques.

 

[cdavis]

Nearly always, water in the ears is external, as Ninja says. Rarely, you can accidentally let a little water in the back of your throat get past your Eustachian tube valves. Used to happen to me when I started line diving with proper head position and descending truly vertical. For me, it completely wreaks my ability to equalize btv and makes it hard to eq by any method in much depth. Feels like your e-valves suddenly become wet and sticky.

Very common for btv alone to fail as you go deeper. Learn to frenzel, preferably in combination with btv and that should get you to 30 meters or so. After that increased flexibility of the rigcage can get you much deeper.

Connor