clearing ears with a hard hat

[bottle_monkey]

I was killing time as I uselly do in the office by talking to woz when he asked how do hard hat divers clear the ears. This got me wondering how it is done. I mean it's not like u can open up the helmet stick your hand in and equalise.

woz suggested it was something to do with swallowing but I think he was just being disgusting.

So anyone care to help out a very bored person.

Cheers Kev

[Fathoms Down]

I believe they have some nose bumpers inside them which "pinch" your nose when you press against them, allowing you to clear normally.

[bottle_monkey]

Now that makes sense. Cheers

But what if u did it wrong and had your eyes out with them. Then you would be a diver with painfual ears and not able to see.

sounds safe to me!

*edit I really am now talking crap. Sorry*

[vulcan]

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

I believe they have some nose bumpers inside them which "pinch" your nose when you press against them, allowing you to clear normally.

I think that's right. I remember when Dr Martha Holmes did the "Sea Trek" show with the surface supplied bubble helmet on, she had a like an inverted "V" shaped piece she stuck her nose in to and blew...

[aclivity]

equalizing by forced vasalva (pinching your nose and blowing) was something that the Whipps Cross chamber people warned against - they recommended that you should learn to equalize through a sort of hard swallow. It would be possible to do that kind of equalizing without a nose pincher (and probably without opening your eyes)

There was a web page which described different ways of equalizing but I cannot find the link - anyone help?

[vulcan]

Originally Posted by aclivity

- they recommended that you should learn to equalize through a sort of hard swallow.

I've never been able to equalize without a pinch, tried many times the "swallow" but can't clear the ears that way.

If any of you find the link I'd be most interested..

[Fathoms Down]

Originally Posted by aclivity

equalizing by forced vasalva (pinching your nose and blowing) was something that the Whipps Cross chamber people warned against

Yes, a forceful vasalva can cause a round window rupture (one of the flexable membranes in the cochlea) which is very serious. Hopefully if you've been clearing your ears regularly then you wouldn't get to a point where you would need to do a valsalva hard enough which could cause a rupture though.

[Gavin Smith]

I can clear my ears using the Edmonds (first) technique as well. I'm merrily clicking the bones in my ears as we speak. It annoys my buddy no end as he struggles.

http://www.ukdivers.net/physiology/ear.htm

[Finless]

Originally Posted by vulcan

I've never been able to equalize without a pinch, tried many times the "swallow" but can't clear the ears that way.

If any of you find the link I'd be most interested..

You are probably descending too fast or not trying to equalize often enough. You could try a 'forced yawn' as variation on the theme.

When using my FFM there are 2 silicon nose plugs that are used to aid with equalization (no, I do not shove them up my nose, they work in the same fashion as the thumb and finger in the nose pinch).

[greekbird]

i hardly need to actually pinch my nose these days...only when i am a bit stuffy i have to pinch and force it...then i see stars twinkling
seriously tho i sort-of yawn... like do the motion with the back of the jaw for yawning and ...well it's like yawning with your mouth closed(otherwise i'd inhaling a lot of seawater ) that seems to open the sinuses and i can equalise...

i cant stop yawwwwwwwwwning now