nose clip ascent technique

[JimGlynn]

I used my pipe mask and nose clip for the first time yesterday. Everything worked great, but my question is for those of you who use nose clips- As I ascended with the clip on, it felt as if my sinuses were holding an air bubble that was very uncomfortable. How can this pressure be relieved? Thanks in advance,
Jim

 

[Alun]

be careful when starting to use nose clips

You need to have your glottis open when ascending with a nose clip. The air expanding within your mouth, sinuses and tubes will automatically equilibrate with your lungs. If you lock the glottis and keep your mouth firmly shut, I'm pretty sure that you could burst your ear drums (outwards), so be careful!
You can take off the clip but i really wouldnt recommend it. It can easily get wrapped around the line and get knotted up -I know this has happened to someone. Also you are just wasting air. In that case you close your gottis. But you waste the expanding air in your mouth/nose etc.
If you keep your clip on, and you pack before diving, be sure to exhale just a little in the last 1-2m before hitting the surface. Take care to time it just right - dont exhale too soon or too much. If you dont exhale your lungs will suddenly expand to almost maximum packing volume very quickly as you hit the surface- this is not good for the lungs.

alun

 

[JimGlynn]

So if I open my throat as I start the ascent as well as exhale the last few meters, the pressure will equalize?
Jim

 

[Alun]

yes, that's right - you won't notice any pressure changes.
actually you dont always have to open your glottis as soon as you start ascending, because at the bottom, your mouth will be quite empty on a deep dive, so you have some time before you start to notice the pressure building in your mouth/sinus etc - then it's time to open the glottis, and keep it open from then on.
That would be a variation of the simple approach - to keep it open during the whole ascent.

When you have it open focus on holding the air in with your mouth/lips - if you have trouble controlling the different muscles.

I would recommend to anyone starting out with a noseclip to take it easy to start with until you get used to it.

alun

 

[JimGlynn]

thanks

Thanks for your help, Alun.
Jim

 

[JasonWelbourne]

In the case of deep diving is a person not obligated to keep the glottis closed during the first phase of ascent?

 

[tylerz]

You shouldn't have to, except I don't think you would want to leave your eustacian tubes open while you open the epiglottis. You would think the lungs could suddenly put a significant amount of pressure on the eardrums, bursting them. I have never focused on what I do at depth but I am fairly certain I open the epiglottis, since that is the most uncomfortable part of the dive for me. My tubes close at that point and then I just open the tubes to release pressure periodically.