Plain-language guides to every scuba certification, from your first Open Water course to instructor.

Skills

How to equalize your ears when diving

By Dive Into Training ·

Learning how to equalize your ears when diving is the single skill that most often decides whether a first dive is a joy or a struggle. Ear discomfort is the most common reason new divers stop a descent, and the good news is that it is almost always fixable with technique and timing.

Why your ears hurt underwater

Behind each eardrum is a small air space, the middle ear, connected to the back of your throat by a narrow passage called the Eustachian tube. As you descend, water pressure increases and pushes on the eardrum. Unless you let more air into the middle ear to match, the eardrum is pushed inward, and that is the pressure or pain you feel.

The pressure changes fastest near the surface. Going from the surface to 10 m / 33 ft doubles the pressure, which is why the first few metres need the most attention.

When to equalize

  • At the surface, before you descend. A gentle equalization before you go down gets air moving.
  • Early and often. Every metre or so near the surface, then every few metres deeper.
  • Before you feel pressure. Once you feel discomfort, the tube is already being squeezed shut and is harder to open.
  • Feet first. Descending feet-first, perhaps along a line, makes equalizing easier than diving head-first.

Techniques to try

The Valsalva maneuver

Pinch your nose through your mask and blow gently against your closed nostrils, as if blowing your nose softly. This is the method most courses teach first. The key word is gently: never blow hard.

The Toynbee maneuver

Pinch your nose and swallow. Swallowing opens the Eustachian tubes while the pinched nose helps move air. Some divers combine it with a sip of air from the regulator.

The Frenzel maneuver

Pinch your nose, close the back of your throat as if about to lift something heavy, and push your tongue up and back, like making a "k" sound. It uses less force than the Valsalva and many experienced divers prefer it. It takes practice.

Hands-free movements

Some divers can open their tubes just by swallowing, wiggling the jaw or yawning with the mouth closed. Try these at home; if they work for you, they are the gentlest option.

When an ear will not clear

  1. Stop descending. Signal your buddy or instructor.
  2. Rise a metre or two, until the pressure eases.
  3. Try equalizing again, gently, perhaps with a different technique or a slight tilt of the head with the blocked ear upward.
  4. If it still will not clear, end the dive. It is not worth the risk.

Never force an ear by blowing hard, and never keep descending with pain. Forcing can damage the ear, including the delicate inner ear.

Don't dive with a cold

Congestion swells the Eustachian tubes and makes equalizing difficult or impossible. Diving congested risks ear injury, and a decongestant that wears off mid-dive can cause a painful "reverse block" on the way up. If you are congested, reschedule. Speak to a doctor before using any medication for diving. If you have had ear surgery or ear problems, read our page on scuba diving medical requirements first.

Practice before your course

You can practice the movements on dry land and in the deep end of a pool. Learning to feel your ears "pop" before you ever put on a tank makes your first descent much easier. Equalizing is one of the habits covered in our guide to scuba skills and safety, and you will practice it throughout your Open Water certification.