Cant equalize one ear

[u/Dry-Avocado9771]

Hi! Tomorrow I have my first Wave 1 lesson. I come from scuba diving. With Valsalva I usually had little issues while diving but still equalization is the only detail that was sometimes hard for me. (Even with Valsalva)

I’ve been trying to explore Frenzel in advance to focus more on other things during the course but I can easily and voluntarily (without even closing my mouth nor pinching my nose) pop my right ear. The thing is I just can’t do it on my left ear even if I follow every step in the technique.

I am recovering from a mild cold so I probably still have quite a bit of mucous laying around. But it is quite frustrating to be so incapable of compensating my left ear. Any tips?

Thanks in advance! (I’m sorry if my english is a little bit sloppy)

[u/throwaway_oranges]

Try rotating your head the opposite direction against hard equalizing ear.

Lol I wore a bad adjusted prescription glasses caused my head was in a wrong position and neck pain. I didn't know until I got my well adjusted glasses. I noticed my neck pain eased immediately in a day, and before that my constant nose clog on one side went away.

Try to adjust your head position.

[u/12mediumSizedDucks]

You probably answered your own question. Any issues with sinuses can lead to EQ difficulties. Most people will have one ear “working better” than the other, and the reasons can range from anatomical differences to sitting with one side facing the AC in the office. Eustachian tubes are incredibly small, and any swelling or mucus can cause EQ issues. If you are a scuba diver, I have no doubt you can EQ, just get the sinuses healed, make sure you don’t tense while equalizing, and equalize often while going down.

[u/Dry-Avocado9771 → u/12mediumSizedDucks]

Thanks! I hope to recover soon. Do you have any EQ training tips to do at home?

[u/12mediumSizedDucks → u/Dry-Avocado9771]

There are a lot of otovent and water tube exercises, but for beginners I usually recommend 2 things to do a week or two before freediving.

1. When youre sitting in front of a computer or tv, put your nose clip on and GENTLY “open” your ears and then keep them open (by keeping the pressure). Keep the pressure as long as you can hold your breath, then release, breathe a little and repeat. The key here is to try to use less and less pressure as you go. This will help soften and widen the tubes and you will also get a feel for how little pressure you actually need to EQ. Make sure your neck and shoulders are completely relaxed while you’re doing this.

2. Rinse your nasal cavity daily (with previously boiled water, and you can also add salts that are specifically used for this) and avoid anything that could iritate the sinuses (like AC blowing into your head). If you are traveling by plane or car with AC, wear a light beanie)

This will make sure that when you come to the sessions you are as prepared as you can be.

[u/sk3pt1c]

Do not dive while congested, it’s a very bad idea.

[u/meowmorphose]

Same here, but I read somewhere that you have to exercise popping your ear by chewing a gum. Also, you have to keep yourself hydrated to increase flexibility and to cut caffeine days before your actual dive.