Greetings from Rhode Island

[Riley2004]

Hi Everyone - I have had my OW cert. for many years but I have not been diving for a very long time. I'm looking to get back into the sport so I think I'll be probably looking for a lot of help. I'll start with my most important issue: my ears. I had a lot of trouble equalizing during and after my course. Any suggestions or information would be Greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot!!

CML

[Vercingetorix]

Welcome back to diving...

[MSilvia]

I've got three tips for equalizing, and I recommend trying the first out before bothering with either of the other two.

1. Equalize early and often. Many people wait until they feel discomfort, and then blow really hard to try to clear. People who do this are waiting way to long, and are putting themselves at risk of injury. What you want to do is clear before you even start your descent, and continue to clear periodically as you head toward the bottom. In order to clear effectively, you need to be proactive, not reactive.
2. There's a mask called a pro-ear that supposedly makes it easier to equalize by putting your ears in cups that are connected to your mask by tubes. I'm told they work, but I wouldn't recommend them unless there's a legitimate medical reason you need help equalizing. In my opinion, they're the aesthetic equivalent of tying your mittens together with string.
3. That said, if you can't equalize by using the valsalva maneuver early and often, contact DAN (Diver's Alert Network) and have them recommend an ENT (ear nose and throat) doctor in your area. You might need a professional evaluation.