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Inverted Equalization success

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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To Eric Fattah

Hi Eric,

Please do you have your Frenzel-Fattah equalizing document available in Spanish? I have some friends interested on it but they don't speak English.

Thanks

Agustín.
 
hi Erik

Just wanted to ask how deep you are going these days, 50m + probably hey.

cheers
 
hi everyone

donmoore you are wright, for me there is (still) a limit in depth with hand free equalisation it is around 10-15 m. But with practise i think i will be able to go over that limit.

and ivan if you try real hard i think you could do it too
I am sure one of your dive buddys can show you. Just don't give up if you don't get it first time.
 
The equalizing document has been translated into every language imagineable. I used to get e-mails all the time from people requesting to translate it. So, yes, it exists in Spanish somewhere. I don't know where though.

Maybe I should ask people to send me the translated version in the future, so I can put them all on my site.


Eric Fattah
BC, Canada
 
One more useful thing I have learned is how to use a nasal spray to most benefit Eustachian tube problems. I read this from Dr. Edmond Kay, a well-known diver doctor who teaches at the University of Washington. When taking nasal sprays, bend over and put your head between your legs so that your head is inverted. Then spray. Some fluid will go through the nose cavity to the Pharynx and the Eustachian tube opening, there by relieving congestion in the soft tissue surrounding the opening.

My doctor took me off a decongestant and anti-histamine pill, because of some side effects, and put me on a second-generation nasal anti-histamine. I now use a steroid nasal and the anti-histamine nasal spray. Taking these with the inverted head technique has made a huge difference. This, plus my newfound technique of opening before pressurizing has pretty well cured my inverted equalization problems. The medicine was actually given for enlarged turbinates/conchae, which the verdict on its effectiveness is still out on. The help in Eustachian tubes was just a nice side effect.

Dr. Edmond Kay said that if you are going to use a nasal over-the-counter decongestant to help in ear equalization, this is the way to use. There is some concern on when a decongestant will actually turn from helping to causing more liquid and inflammation. The usual warning is 5 days, but some in the diving field believe it could be toward the end of a dive day.

I suggest that if you take any nasal spray try this technique. It won’t hurt and is sure has made my equalization easier.
Don
 
Many of my friends have used nasal decongestants with success (to help equalizing). If you decide to compete at an AIDA competition make sure to check that your decongestant isn't on the banned substances list (many such as sudafed are banned). I think it has something to do with the fact that decongestants can 'mask' steroid use..?


Eric Fattah
BC, Canada
 
Erik,

Thanks for your explination of equalizing without your hands.

I stared playing around with the technique and very quickly began to feel it working - not as effectively as my plugged nose Freznel method, but I could definitely feel it working.

Can't wait to get into a deep pool to try it out with a little depth. It sure would be nice to start off the open water season this Spring being able to do it.

Thanks again.

Jason
 
Spanish ranslation of Eric's document

Guss,
I'll translate it if you don't already have a copy in Spanish, I can probably send it to you tomorrow evening and then send a copy to Eric too. ¿De acuerdo?

Adrian
 
Originally posted by ivan
hi Erik

Just wanted to ask how deep you are going these days, 50m + probably hey.

cheers
Hey amigo, my best to date is 50.4 metres ....I haven't had opportunity to train with a partner here yet, but hopefully will get to 65 metres this summer :)
Cheers,
Erik Y.
 
hi

50.4 metres is awsome I guess thats with your monofin. Is there any deep divers in indo I doubt theres anyone who can go 50 metres hey. :cool:

cheers
 
Thanks Ivan.
I have yet to meet any fdivers here :(
Iyadiver is keen to learn a bit, but the only place we ever train is in the local bars! We'll get out on a fishing trip soon I'm sure.
Cheers,
Erik Y.
 
equalization muscles

Hi Don,

Thank you very much for the info on muscle structure around the eustation tube. I have wondered for years how that worked. Thanks also to all those who have shared their knowledge on this site, it is truly fantastic.

I hope I can return the favor. It is possible to gain conscious, direct control over your clearing muscles, just like moving your fingers. Head up, head down, fast decent, it doesn't matter . Most people just don't know where to find the nerve pathways. For whatever reason, I knew where the nerve path was long before I could swim, much less dive.

What you are doing should be just the right approach to find the nerve path. Sounds like you have some major physical problems that will make clearing much harder, but the muscles are like any other, the more you use them the stronger they get.

This may help a little. If I look in the mirror while opening the tubes, I can see a very slight movement in the skin from the lower tip of the ear lobe on both ears and in a narrow band connecting the two. The skin under the ears indents maybe .2 cm over an area approximately 1 cm wide. Movement almost disappears under the chin. I am probably moving something more than the two primary muscles, but I don't know what.

Please keep us posted on your progress, this is potentiall useful to a lot of divers.

Thanks again,

Connor
 
hands free equalization

I learned to hands free equalize many years ago and I learned the technique quite by accident. The sole purpose of this post is to share how I "learned" in case it might work for a few others.

After weight training workouts I would relax in the kiddie end of the local pool. I'd sometimes exhale and lay on the bottom in three feet of depth and watch the world go by for a few moments. This was not a freedive drill of any sort, it was just hanging out and relaxing in the warm water. One day I made a random jaw/ throat movement and my ears equalized. Holy Moly! I had just equalized hands free.

With a little trial and error I quickly isolated the muscle movements and have been able to equalize at will ever since. I believe the secret is that I was totally relaxed, not trying to force anything, and in warm water. So my humble suggestion to others is to duplicate those conditions - minimal depth, relaxation, and just fiddle around with a variety of jaw/throat movements (yawning, swallowing, etc) until something works.

I still find equalization easier in an upright position. But on good days it works well inverted. My PB CW of 85 feet was with hands free equalization - so the technique is good to at least that depth.
 
I haven't tried this method yet

But there is a safer and less dangerous valsalva variation which is plugging your nose (don't blow ar anything, just plug it) and swallowing afterwards, unplug your nose and swallow.

I can equalise by swallowing but I let you now this version just in case someone wants to give it a go and has less patience to learn the Frenzel technique.

Regards, gerard.
 
Connor,
I had unpleasant surprise at the pool last week. I had learned to open the tubes inverted on my inversion machine, without a snorkel, and the first time I practiced it in the pool, I also did not use a snorkel. Sunday I tried to it with a snorkel in my mouth and it was very difficult to get the feel and I did not have nearly as much success as I anticipated. Needless to say am going back through the learning process of the mirror and inversion machine with snorkel in mouth. I will look for the muscle action you described.
Thanks,
Don
 
Most freediving instructors recommend diving with the snorkel out of the mouth, for safety during the ascent.


Eric Fattah
BC, Canada
 
hands free?

How exactly do you do the valsava technique. I tried the plug your nose and swallow technique prescribed by Gerard and it worked! Not too much power but my ears cleared. So how do I do equalize with no hands. The frenzel is no problem and I have gone down to around 140 feet using it. I did experience problems getting any air to clear after around 120 feet but somehow, I still don't know how, but I got some air in and I did clear. What jaw movement are you talking about? Is it a sideway wiggle, or jutting your jaw outward, open really wide like a yawn? I don't get it. Help, I wanna be one of those really cool divers that can equalize hands free.

Brad :confused:
 
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