My left ear won't equalize

[Nicholas_Pachis]

Hi again!

I've been having this issue for like forever, but i noticed it more lately when i was going in depths under 5-7m.

While my right ear will equalize great with any technique my left ear needs more force to equalize and it only works with the valsava maneuver. The thing is, in order to equalize my left ear, I have to exhale so hard that my (already equalized) right ear hurts until i equalize the left.

Also sometimes, when i descend fast i use the VTO (Voluntary Tubal Opening) which works with the right ear and sometimes with both, but most of the times i have to use a combination of vto and valsava for my left ear to equalize too. When i equalize both ears once at about under 5m and keep descending i just use the vto with success for both ears.

Oh! And while Edmond's works everytime with both ears at any given depth, i need to practice it a little bit to find the 100% right technique because the throat muscle contraction along with the blow makes me wanna throw out.

Can somoene tell me what's wrong with my ear or my technique?
Thanks!

 

[Mr. X]

Yes, your GP (doctor) should be able to. You shouldn't dive if you can't equalize - seriously, see a physician. They have some pretty nifty medication these days. Mine wore a hearing aid & prescribed the same stuff he uses (a concoction of 3 treatments) - cleared my problem in a couple of days, excellent.

I suspect your left eustachian tube might be inflammed and/or blocked with gunk but I am not a physician, nor have I ever played one on TV. If that is the case, continuing to dive & attemping to clear might make things worse. Aspirin/ibuprofen can help reduce inflammation - provided you are not allergic to NSAIDs (in which case you might end in anaphalyxic shock & possibly even dead ). Like I said, see your GP

 

[Nicholas_Pachis]

Ok! Thanks for your reply! I got checked by the doctor and he said because me nose diaphragm (the bone that seperates the nostrils, im'm not sure how exactly it's called in english) is leaning, so it's not straight. I just have to do the edmond+valsava and stretch my neck to the side. It works i just have to get used to the edmonds.