Problems Equalising Once I Get Deeper

[aussiebushman]

Hey guys
This is my first post to this forum and im a keen scuba diver/free diver from Sydney Australia. I have a couple of questions with my free diving....
I can dive to about 12m and and i can equalise fine until about 10m but i have this feeling in the back of my throat that there is no more air to use to equalise and cant continue on.... im wondering if there has been any one with this problem and how they overcame the problem?
and also im wondering if there are any sort of ear plugs u can use for freediving to prevent water getting into your ears while descending because as soon as water get in my ears it puts me off going deeper because it puts me out of the relaxed state that im in.
So any help would be much appreciated
Cheers
Aussiebushman

PS i have no trouble equalising when i scuba diving what so ever

 

[DivingDane]

hey mate welcome to the forum, what you are experiencing is quite common for people just starting to go deeper, it takes time for the body to acclimitize to depth and what you are feeling is quite natural, because you can equalize to 10m means you are essentially equalizing correctly it will just be your body giving you signals to stop because it doesnt feel natural. over multiple dives to the same depth it will become easier and easier, with this new confidence you'll be ready to take the next jump in depth, eventually you'll reach a failure point where you will have to change your EQ technique but this shouldnt happen until around the 30m mark. so just enjoy the learning and experience and grow more confident with the depth and your depth will steadily increase.

but if you find this isnt working make sure you are concentrating on channelling air to your ears and try tucking your chin in to your chest this generally makes EQing easier.

hope this helps a bit.

DD

 

[Kars]

What you also can do is swing around the line into head's up position on the line, and relax for a little wile eyes closed, let your chest and diaphragm relax, than you'll find it will be easy to direct some air to your ears and sinuses.

About the earplugs, don't use them for deep freediving, NEVER.
A hood helps to keep the water around your head warm, and you ears comfortable, but there should be a bit of flow possible to prevent 'hood-squeeze'.

I agree with Diving Dane. Gentle repetition is the way to learn depth.
You'll find when you challenge and overcome each of those little barriers a great satisfaction and a big improvement on your freediving experience becoming deeper in many respects.

The forum has a lot of good advice, use the convenient forum search function to your leisure Aussibushman!

Love, Courage and Water!

Kars

ps, are you a bushman?

 

[azapa]

10 or 12M is the classical Valsalva failure depth, forcing air from your lungs, using the diaphragm, to your ears. Look up the Frenzel technique, it uses a closed epiglottis and pressure generated in the mouth cavity (by tongue pumping for example) to force air into your Eustachian tubes.

Search for "frenzel"

Prevention of Middle Ear Barotrauma

have a look at the great video on the middle of this page:
Prevention of Middle Ear Barotrauma

I had exactlly the same failure depth a few years ago.

 

[cdavis]

Hi Aussie,
Welcome to DB.

Kars is right about ear plugs. If they are a total plug, very nasty things can happen. Strange as it sounds, there is one brand of ear plugs out there that are ok to dive deep with, called Doc's Pro Plugs. I'm not real clear on how they work, but they do. For more info, Goggle them or use the search function above. Some buddies of mine diving in cold water were using cotton pads, moistened slightly. They found that enough air passed through to equalize, but somehow it made it easier to equalize. I tried'em and didn't see much benefit, but my ears equalize easy. PM Erik for more info.

Whatever, I suspect that with further practice, you won't think you need them.

Learn Frenzel!

Connor

 

[Tony Babowicz]

Connor, the first day I tried Doc's ProPlugs was with you at the puddle. I have used them several times since then and have also dove without them as well. I must say that equalising is somewhat easier w/proplugs versus without. Especially shallow where there is a greater pressure change is a shorter distance. I can almost equalise hands free with them to about 15m However at depth, say 30-40meters, i have noticed no benefit from the plugs. A good mouthfill and proper technique is the only way. I'd be willing to bet that if I focused more on my equalising technique for the first 5-15meters, I probably would not notice a difference with or without proplugs. I tend to goof off a bit on the way to 15-20 meters and start focusing only on equalisation after that since I am in sink phase. I really hope to master my equalisation this summer if I can stay healthy. I will keep all of you guys posted.

 

[sgnips]

hi everyone,
i also am a user of doc's proplugs, and really feel good about them, i always wear them even in pool and take them out only once in my car or at home, especially during winter

they guarantee a shield against cold water fisrt o fall: a small amount of water pours in and becomes warmer than the outside
i think this "shield" function does the work and hepls you equalizing, i actually doubt they can help in any mechanical way

 

[Bill]

'i actually doubt they can help in any mechanical way'

The mechanical way that they help is with outer ear problems. Sometimes the water gets polluted here and most of us get a sore ear occasionally. If you put a cap full of the magic ear potion in each ear and seal it in with Doc's plugs before the diving it seems to help. There is some exchange of course but usually after a few hours, when I remove the plugs, I can smell the vinegar so I think it offers some protection for a long time.

 

[demasoni]

hi everyone,
i also am a user of doc's proplugs, and really feel good about them, i always wear them even in pool and take them out only once in my car or at home, especially during winter

they guarantee a shield against cold water fisrt o fall: a small amount of water pours in and becomes warmer than the outside
i think this "shield" function does the work and hepls you equalizing, i actually doubt they can help in any mechanical way

Can you personally equalize hands free with them and not without them?

 

[aussiebushman]

Wow thank you so much for all your help .... i didnt expect to get so much help so quickly. Anyway what i meant with getting water in my ear had nothing to do with equalising only problem was the uncomfortable feeling that i get wen water rushes in my ear i hate it lol anyway im going to try out those plugs and also i just got offered a new job in north queensland australia to dive off a boat and harvest sea cucumbers in a few weeks!!!!

 

[sgnips]

Can you personally equalize hands free with them and not without them?

unfortunately, at this time i can't eq hands free, with nor without them, i'm occasionally training to get it :head, but have no time to...

The mechanical way that they help is with outer ear problems.

Bill, that's sure, they help a lot about that; i meant i don't think they can make you eq in a better way, let's say easier or faster, or with less air than usually needed (some people say they do...), either if you have ear problems or not

 

[DivingDane]

aussiebushman, nice one on the job after a bit of work on the boats you'll have your eq sorted, depending on how far north you are send me a post and we can catch up for a beer and a dive or at least some training and we can see if we can get things sorted for you.

congrats on the new job.

personally iwouldnt go rushing into Docs pro plugs and as noted before they are the ONLY plugs suitable for freediving/spearfishing as anything else will cause damage to your ears. if you dont like the rushing water a hood will usually fix this problem while still letting enough water in (water must reach yoiur ear drums or you'll have issues with your ear drums being sucked "out" with the compressing air during a dive. anyway good luck with the training

DD

 

[aussiebushman]

Thank you dave for the help but i wont be anywhere near cairns i will be in gladstone lol but if im ever in the area i will send u a pm.The freedive community is so friendly hehe

 

[DivingDane]

Dave? whos dave? hahahahaha

i do a fair bit ofwork along the coast as far as brisbane so may bump into you, there is a new spearing club just started there and Pats tackle world is one of my customers and holds a fair bit of stock and are very helpful if you need anything.

DD

 

[aussiebushman]

lol i meant dane

 

[vali]

Hey guys
This is my first post to this forum and im a keen scuba diver/free diver from Sydney Australia. I have a couple of questions with my free diving....
I can dive to about 12m and and i can equalise fine until about 10m but i have this feeling in the back of my throat that there is no more air to use to equalise and cant continue on.... im wondering if there has been any one with this problem and how they overcame the problem?
and also im wondering if there are any sort of ear plugs u can use for freediving to prevent water getting into your ears while descending because as soon as water get in my ears it puts me off going deeper because it puts me out of the relaxed state that im in.
So any help would be much appreciated
Cheers
Aussiebushman

PS i have no trouble equalising when i scuba diving what so ever

dive allways with the ears free...
if you want to go deeper than 10m with valsalva try to:
get tour sinnuses cleared bevore dive
first valsalva with the head above the water
do as many valsalva are needed...and don-t wayt for the ears to hurt

 

[TimoP]

Yes, that's really important to eq before you feel in your ears need to eq with pain. So don't wait until you must eq! Do the first (over)eq already in the surface, there is enough air, I think

In this way it's better for your ears, it's easier to eq, and in 15+ m depth I've found it essential if I want to go deeper. I use Frenzel, and because of that, I can do very quicly and easy eq, even many times in second = continuously.