![]() ![]() For example, at times, the Valsalva will not open the Eustachian tube, but moving the jaw side to side while swallowing may open it.Īlthough surgery is usually ineffective for equalizing problems - unless they are related to nasal septum deviations or polyps - the judicious use of anti-inflammatory, anti-allergy and decongestant medications may be helpful. Plus, a technique that works one day may not work the next. Although the Valsalva maneuver is the most familiar and the easiest earclearing method to explain, it does not work for everybody. It is advisable that new divers get exposure to all of the popular clearing techniques. This begins by learning the various maneuvers for ear equalizing and allowing yourself to discover the one that works best for you. ![]() The best strategy is to avoid barotrauma. ![]() This type of jury can make it impossible to equalize the middle ear, leading to intense pain, rupture of the eardrum or even more serious injury such as hearing loss. Once you’ve experienced a squeeze, this may require a break from diving. Finally, a deviated septum or broken nose can cause an inability to clear both ears at the same time during descent. Although it is sometimes possible for an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon to release some adherent scars, surgery is rarely a solution for Eustachian tube dysfunction. This may consist of a narrowing of that passage, or there may be scars and subsequent thickening from chronic childhood ear infections or long-term allergies. Some divers may have abnormalities in the Eustachian tube, the small passage leading to the middle ear space located in the back of the throat). Most of these divers suffer from allergies, head colds or other viral illnesses that cause the swollen and inflamed mucous membranes to close or narrow the passageways. In fact, most calls to DAN come from experienced divers, as they may have a more developed sense of recognizing a pressure-related injury. Even veteran divers, however, can encounter ear problems. Normally this gets easier with experience. For some, it’s hard to concentrate on breathing through a regulator while trying to remember to clear the ears, especially during the first few exposures to scuba. For new divers, equalizing the ears may involve a learning curve: Their previous experience may have been only an airplane ride or a trip across a mountain range. A normally functioning mucous membrane is a remarkable defense mechanism. This mucus traps the material and allows it to be transported to the back of the throat, where it is swallowed and destroyed by stomach acid. These mucous membrane-lined passages serve the body in two important ways: They moisten or humidify the air moving through the connecting passages, and they help protect the body from foreign material such as pollen and bacteria by producing protective mucus. Although this is where we feel discomfort, the problem begins in the air passageways that connect these airspaces to the back of the throat. When we talk about barotrauma, we mean a pressure- related injury to the soft tissue lining the body’s air spaces - for example, in the middle ear and sinus cavities. A little knowledge of the condition and a few preventive measures can go a long way toward avoiding squeeze. It's simply an issue of space: at some time in their diving careers, most divers will have a problem related to clearing their ears or sinuses. Sinus squeeze is equally prevalent as a dive injury. It takes awareness, training, practice and a lot of patience. At the same time, many middle ear barotraumas may be one of the most preventable injuries in diving. It's no surprise that ear squeeze, the most common injury in scuba diving, results in the most frequently asked question to Divers Alert Network. ![]()
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