Tonsils removal -Will this affect any equalization?

[Wei Yang]

Hi, I am fairly new to freediving and would like to consult everyone here about equalization.

I keep having recurring tonsils infection from diving and doctor have suggest to remove it permanent as a solution. However I am not quite sure will this have any effect to equalization.

From my rough understanding the tonsils does not play any part in equalization (I'm using the frenzel maneuver) but just do make sure before i proceed with the operation. Any of you all know of anyone who had done the operation before and that it does not interfere with equalization?

Will be of tremendous help if any of you can shed some light to me on this. Many thanks in advance!!

 

[japppo]

Hi. I had them removed about 10 years ago, no infections after that! I don't recommend the local anesthetic for this procedure...

No effect on my equalizing. I was not very active diver then but I had no trouble going to 5m with valsalva after the recovery.

 

[Wei Yang]

Thanks a lot jappo! By the way any reason why you don't recommend local anesthetic for this procedures? Any discuss the specific detail with my doctor yet.

 

[Kiekerjan]

No effect on my equalizing. I was not very active diver then but I had no trouble going to 5m with valsalva after the recovery.

With the valsalva technique the air is pushed up from the lungs so the tonsils could not possibly influence the equalization. The frenzel technique however pushes the air up by pressing the back of the tongue against the soft palate, which is where the tonsils are located, so it's a completely different story.

That being said, I don't expect it would be a problem either way. But if you want a confirmation from someone who's been through it, make sure it's someone who also uses the frenzel technique so that you have the correct frame of reference.

 

[japppo]

I do frenzel nowadays without problems. My point was that I had no problems after the surgery, I just did not know frenzel back then.

Most people I know have used full anesthetic, or sleep whatever it's called. Local anesthetic was not painful but very uncomfortable, swallowing blood while the surgeon pulls tonsils out slice by slice. Just my opinion.

 

[cdavis]

I had mine out at 21. Not a good plan to wait that long, but necessary. Made me sick as a dog for a week+ Doc told me before the operation that I could not dive for a month and I just laughed at him; that seemed both ridiculous and impossible. Turned out I did not even want to go diving for more than a month. Definitely use a general anesthetic. No effect on equalization for me.

In the short run, you might run into some problems from swelling or just relearning how to equalize with something missing from your throat. In the long run, its all positive.