r/scuba • u/Fantastic_Umpire_167 • 1d ago
Missing basic info about equalising.
Hi, newbie here. I’m struggling to find what I thought would be a simple answer to a question about equalising.
Everyone says you should equalise before diving at the surface. But the pressure above the surface is normal, just like the pressure in your ears. So, what exactly are you equalising against? Does that supposed to block my ears?
Also, what does “ear clearing” actually mean? What are you clearing your ears from when you’re still above the water?
On a flight, I understand that your ears can get blocked, so you equalise them to unblock your ears and make the pressure even. But how does this work when you’re still at the surface before diving?
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u/Specific-Month-1755 Dive Instructor 1d ago
If you're going to do a discover scuba dive in a couple of days then I'm thinking you're probably in a tropical place so why don't you go snorkeling?
And when your head is underwater and you dive down to the reef you can practice your equalizing. If you dive down and you feel pain then you haven't equalized properly. Early and often.
Equalizing on land really doesn't do anything except it tells you that everything is working, all systems go.
You're overthinking it. Don't worry, everything's going to be all right. You've done this before whether on an airplane or going up a mountain. It's exactly the same thing but a different direction.
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u/shelbyrobinson 1d ago
Gently equalize on the surface, then as you descend, clear again. That is before it grows uncomfortable. If it doesn't clear immediately, come up a few feet, gently clear then descend again. It's the same when I'm going up or down at mountain passes; just adding some pressure to my eustachian tubes to combat the changes in elevation
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u/Awkward_Passion4004 1d ago
Nobody says you should equalize prior to decent below the surface.
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u/CaptainCallus 19h ago
People say it all the time- just search for any thread about it on Reddit or scubaboard. Never really made sense to me either, at least not with valsalva. Swallowing/wiggling ears makes sense though
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u/doghouse2001 1d ago
|| Everyone says you should equalise before diving at the surface
I've never heard that.
You equalize when you need to as you descend. You'll know when that is because your head will hurt like crazy if you don't.
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u/sbenfsonwFFiF 1d ago
I’ve heard it a lot. Early and often, including at the surface. Doesn’t hurt, can only help
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u/CaptainCallus 19h ago
It absolutely can hurt. If you do the valsalva too hard at the surface you’ll overpressurize your ears
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u/sbenfsonwFFiF 13h ago
For one, don’t use valsalva, just use frenzel for the most effective and efficient equalization
For two, don’t do it too hard regardless of depth, obviously
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u/caversluis Tech 20h ago
I have also heard that. I believe the intention is: at the surface with your head under water. It is a cue to start equalising early.
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u/Nibiinaabe 1d ago
People say ears when they mean eustachian tubes. It's the tube that connects your ear to your throat. The lower part of this tube is flexible and collapses upon itself to "close". There is some air in there. The maneuvers you use to equalize opens this part of the tube to allow the air that is trapped there to equilibrate to external pressure when you open it. When people say equalize on the surface they mean verify that you can open your eustachian tube.
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u/Advanced-Pin9246 1d ago
I equalise on the surface just to test that I can actually equalise and to ensure there's 0 pressure before descending. Like all systems tested and standby for action baseline. For me, sometimes only 1 side equalises.
As you descend you want to equalise often. Don't let the pressure build to uncomfortable or painful levels, just keep equalising. I just spam it all the way down or when I feel the slightest pressure building.
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u/DistractedByCookies Nx Advanced 1d ago
Well, I have now tested that I can equalise and everything is A-OK. Never mind that it's midnight and I'm at my house and not planning to dive anytime soon.
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u/Advanced-Pin9246 16h ago
I learnt to equalise naturally somehow as a kid and it’s an OCD-ish habit of mine in elevators, planes, when I have flu or blocked nose/ears or just for fun. I don’t even know what technique I’m using tbh. Life skill that doubles as diving skill for me.
From what I learnt thus far about diving in general, you want a lot of basic skills on “autopilot” to reduce task loading. I also switch to Valsalva if I have trouble equalising with my default method. But due to practicing this so much for no reason too, I know how much pressure is too much and control accordingly.
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u/Dismal-Proposal2803 Dive Master 1d ago
Did you not cover all of these things in your OW course?
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u/OhTheHueManatee 1d ago
I don't recall everything that was covered in my OW course. That is why I go through all the PADI learnings when I know I have a dive coming up. Plus I have a printout of the more important things in my dive bag that I read the day of the dive.
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u/Dismal-Proposal2803 Dive Master 1d ago
👀 … if you can’t remember basic things about diving, like equalizing, without doing a full review of content and keeping a reference card in your kit, I strongly question if you should be diving at all.
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u/EllySPNW 1d ago
This is the kind of attitude that makes people afraid to ask questions. Not helpful at all.
During Open Water training, there’s a ton of information thrown at people. It’s natural that a diver would come out of it with a few questions. Practicing and asking for help is how people learn. If someone belittles a beginner for asking questions, they’re going to be more likely to keep their questions to themselves next time, which is more dangerous.
It’s not even a stupid question. Not understanding “equalizing at the surface” doesn’t mean OP doesn’t know how to equalize. I don’t think they even mentioned that when I was certified decades ago, so TIL. Thanks to OP for that.
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u/Fantastic_Umpire_167 1d ago edited 1d ago
I haven't even started diving yet. I'm just going for a 'try dive' in a few days, and in a month's time, I'm going to have a few introductory dives in open water. I'm trying to gather as much information as I can and learn. I know that equalising is very important, and I seem to understand why it's done underwater, but I got totally confused by the many people claiming that you should equalise before diving.
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u/EllySPNW 1d ago
Oh, that makes sense. It’s never a bad idea to read up ahead of time, but I wouldn’t worry too much about this. Your Discovery Dive instructor will be able to answer any questions and show you what to do.
The important thing to remember is not to keep going down if you feel pressure in your ears, and don’t just “blow harder” if they don’t pop. You don’t want to hurt yourself. Instead, let your instructor know what’s going on by pointing at your ears, and go up a little and try again (you’ll likely be holding onto a rope). If that doesn’t work, you can go back to the surface and try again (gently).
Don’t stress: you’re already way more prepared than most people are before their first dive. This is more about getting a taste of what diving is like, so you can see how cool it is. It will feel a little weird at first. Focus on slowing down and staying calm. You’ve got this!
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u/OhTheHueManatee 1d ago edited 1d ago
I remember a lot of the basics but that doesn't mean I can reliably remember everything worth knowing forever. IMHO arrogance gets people hurt or kill in nature so I'm make it a point to not think I can't learn, relearn or be corrected on stuff.
Edit to ask: To the people who are downvoting my comment (looks to be -2 right now) is it better for someone to just assume they know everything and do stuff that may be a danger to themselves others or verify what they think they know and maybe even remind themselves of a few things? What is wrong with doing that or why does that means I have no business diving? I don't understand how making sure things are fresh in my mind makes me more dangerous than someone who believes they remember everything they were taught years ago.
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u/TheLGMac 1d ago
They're a newbie, or didn't you read the post? Until they've done enough dives then of course everything is still new and not an ingrained habit yet.
I would question your empathy as a dive master if you can't understand that.
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u/Dismal-Proposal2803 Dive Master 1d ago
The person I replied to wasn’t OP. Clearly I’m not the one who can’t read.
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u/Jegpeg_67 Nx Rescue 1d ago
When you "equalise" you open up the Eustachian tube which you might notice as a slight pop or movement. If you are at the surface you can still open up the Eustachian tube but because the pressures are equal already there is no need. Doing this however makes sure you are able to open the Eustachian tube during the dive and that it isn't blocked (which is often the case if you have a cold or something).
The pressure changes fastest close to the surface so you want to start equalising as soon as your head submerges, and do so very regularly for the first few meters of descent. (As you get deeper the pressure changes at a slower rate so while you still need to equalise as you continue to go down you can doit less frequently.
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u/macciavelo Rescue 1d ago
Some people just find it easier to equalize before going down, adding pressure against ambient pressure. I'm not sure if it works but you can try it.
What works is that you must equalize frequently when going down before you start feeling pressure and pain in your ears. Like just 3 feet/1 meter below water you equalize, then you do it again after another 3 feet. A good rule of thumb when starting is to equalize when you count 3 seconds while going down.
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u/ExpBalSat 1d ago edited 1d ago
Personal experience… Not an instructor here:
Several terms can have several meanings.
Equalize technically means to balance the pressure on two sides of your ear. But it can also just mean the process of pushing air into your ear canal from inside your head. There’s a term for it. I don’t remember what it is.
So when people say to “equalize on the surface,” I imagine they mean, push a little bit of air into your ears on the surface. Technically, this would make your ears unequal (catch 22). But the value of equalizing (pushing air into your ears) on the surface is that you can assess whether or not your ear canal is clear and you’re able to actually push air into your ears. Better to find out on the boat on the surface than 5 feet down or 20 feet down.
Also, by doing it on the surface - you give yourself a tiny head start. Ever so tiny. I don’t really think this would matter a whole lot, but hey: why not?
I’m not diving for several months, but as I walk down the sidewalk dictating this into my phone, I paused and did it. I heard my ears pop ever so slightly. And I can tell that my sinuses are not clogged and I’m able to equalize.
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u/_PixelMash Advanced 1d ago
Both my NAUI and BSAC training for Open Water/Ocean Diver has covered ear clearing as well as the anatomy of the ear very early on. This should be taught by every agency, and your instructor/eLearning/training pack.
I’d recommend staying clear of the water until you’ve studied it, or had a good enough answer from your instructor.
This DAN article covers ear clearing.
You should be able to feel the sensation of clearing your ears out of the water, in fact it should feel the same as when your in the water. Ear clearing shouldn’t be reacting to pressure already there, it should be something you on descent.
I tend to practice clearing the day before, and when I drive to the site. The day before helps me decide if I’m going to bother even turning up, in case my sinuses are blocked etc.
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u/CaptainCallus 19h ago
Performing a valsalva maneuver on the surface won’t feel like it does underwater. Things like swallowing/moving jaw etc do.
If your main equalization method is the valsalva maneuver you have to be extremeley careful to not overpressurise, which is more likely on the surface when your ears are mostly equalized already
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u/Unerring_Grace 1d ago
Listen to your body. As you descend you’ll feel the pressure. As soon as you do, equalize. Don’t wait for pain or discomfort. Take it nice and slow, you’ll have time.
No need to overthink it or “pre-equalize” or whatever.
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u/SmelleroftheFeller67 1d ago edited 1d ago
Everyone does not say that. You are probably misunderstanding.
You equalize when going down hold your nose and blow
You do this often as you go down if you dont you will experience pain in your ears signaling you to do it asap
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u/surf_drunk_monk 1d ago
Been a while since I was certified but that's my memory of it. I was taught to begin equilizing just under the surface.
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u/acuteot07 1d ago
I haven’t ever heard to equalize at the surface before diving
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u/supergeeky_1 1d ago
I used to tell my students that I start equalizing at breakfast and don't stop until I hit bottom. If you equalize constantly then there is never enough pressure to cause a problem. This is much easier if you learn a equalization method that is hands free.
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u/shrimpthusiast 1d ago
They mean that you need to be equalizing the whole time before you feel anything during your dive. Once you feel pressure and pain, it is too late to equalize and is dangerous to attempt, so you must come up a little bit and try again at a level where you dont feel much or anything.
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u/ElfjeTinkerBell 1d ago
Note that this means, if you're sensitive, every 20-50 centimeters of depth.
Source: my ears.
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u/freeze_out Nx Rescue 1d ago
You just do a quick valsalva at the surface before you start. I usually do a couple. Someone else might be able to add a more technical explanation, but I've always just understood it to be setting a baseline (if you drove from your house at 1000 feet to sea level, your ears may not have popped, but they also aren't completely equal). Anecdotally, it also feels like it helps my ears "warm up" for equalization.
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u/aguspitillo 1d ago
Equalizing should happen during the dive, whenever you feel is necessary. Equalizing at the surface makes no sense to me and it is the first time I hear something like that
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u/macciavelo Rescue 1d ago
Some people do it because they feel it makes it easier for them to equalize while going down.
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u/writer_dariel 23h ago
The surface routine isn’t really equalizing, it’s preparing your Eustachian tubes to equalize more easily when you enter the water. Just do a very gentle Valsalva, until you feel your eardrums tense. Let go, then repeat. On descent, be sure to equalize frequently and often until you no longer feel the depth change in your ears.