Hands Free Equalisation

[..Sam..]

Its been a long time since I've been on here, its nice to be back. Anyway just wondering if there is any documentation of hands free equalisation? Not the Frenzel Fattah. Any little tips or secrets to streamline the decent by getting rid of the one hand on the nose one hand out infront.
Cheers, Sam.

Ah its nice to be back.

[trux]

Check out the documents at BTV @ APNEA.cz or more generally for equaliztion: equalization @ APNEA.cz Also use the search function here in the header of the DB forum - you will get plenty of threads discussing it.

[..Sam..]

Thanks ill have a look at them.

[jacques shuran]

Hi!

I can equalise hands free and i can do the ''clicking'' in my ears, but it works only when my sinuses are completely clear. they're clear most of the time and i can breathe trough my nose with no problem, but sometimes (mostly in the morning) they're a bit stuffed. So, i was wondering if there was a way to clear them completely. i use the 'neti pot' tehnique and it helps, but it never clears them 100%.

So i would really appreciate if anybody would give me any advice or just tell me how they do it!

Thank you all in advance!!
Jakov

[Whopperhead]

I'm not sure what medications are readily available for you over in Croatia- But Here in the USA, we can buy Pseudaphed (not sure on the spelling) over the counter. I take 1 the day before and the day OF diving. (non- Drowsy) it seems to do a very good job- I've not had a problem clearing when I use this med. I also can clear hands free and this seems to work for me.

[jacques shuran]

Hi Whopperhead!

I think you ment pseudophedrine, i found some info about it on the internet. Do You use it in spray or drops? -- if I got it right i think we have some similar medicines here and they're either in spray or drops.

Can You descend as fast as you want when you equalise hands free or do you have to go a bit slower?

Thanks for your help!

Jakov

[Whopperhead]

Jakov - I'm sure thats how you spell it- Ours is in Pill form. It's for clearing nasal and sinuses. I take one pill the day before and one in the morning of diving.

[jacques shuran]

Ok, thanks Whopperhead, I'll try to find it here!

Jakov

[scottie3030]

can you teach/train yourself to equalise hands free or is it something a lucky few are born with?

[Whopperhead]

I pretty much got a few tips from others and taught myself- I usually go spearfishing with my video camera and a speargun- so my hands are full. I can equalise EASIER using my hands, but I can get the job done- hands free.

[bjpete]

you might want to contact DAN for the best medical advice for clearing your ears. There is always a risk of having a " reverse squeeze" this happens when the medications wear off and you experience pain upon ascent. If you are SCUBA diving you can always stop while coming up, but obviously in freediving this is difficult or impossible to do. Anyway with the reverse squeeze you will rupture your eardrum going to the surface which can result in vertigo/dizziness.
This just my 2 cents worth.

Brian

[sciencemike]

Originally Posted by bjpete

you might want to contact DAN for the best medical advice for clearing your ears. There is always a risk of having a " reverse squeeze" this happens when the medications wear off and you experience pain upon ascent. If you are SCUBA diving you can always stop while coming up, but obviously in freediving this is difficult or impossible to do. Anyway with the reverse squeeze you will rupture your eardrum going to the surface which can result in vertigo/dizziness.
This just my 2 cents worth.

Brian

Bottom time would have to be pretty killer for that to happen.

I use Sudafed when i freedive. I use the 1 tablet each night of the 2 days before diving, and one the day of. Do not use these scuba diving as Brian said as you can be down for 45 minutes, the pill can wear off and sinus crud comes back. Then you try and resurface and you are in trouble.

[Gwaihir]

How about using a noseclip inside the mask.. the kind of clip that swimmers use,only so hard that u can equalise but soft enugh that you can continue and force some air trough the noseclip and out into the mask when you need to..
This workes for me on the sofa but I havnet tried in the water yet..

[jacques shuran]

Hi Gwaihir!

I actually tried that but it didn't work. Whenever i had to equalise some air would get in my mask, and when i wanted to equalise my mask it often happened that i'd ''over equalise'' my ears, and in the end there's not much oxigen left.
Maybe it works for someone, but i doubt it. If you try it please let me know how it went.

[Kars]

Just a month ago a the World Championship Depth in Sharm El Sheikh I got hands-free equalisation working on the final day doing CWNF. This was the first time I did a full CWNF dive without needing to pinch my nose! It made me very happy, and the months, years of practice came together and worked on the day I could really use it.

The Israeli Freedive website [ I.F.A - Freediving In Israel - Education ] has a very nice manual on BTV : http://eng.apnea.co.il/edu/btv_eng.doc

For clearing your tubes, the afformentioned nosewash can be a great help. But I rather would work on preventing excessive being formed in more natural way as opposed to the chemical phsudafet that btw is on the doping list.
Don't eat anything forming mucus, milk, chocolate, meat, etc.
Drink more than enough water.
Be rested.
Sniff in the air and traces of slime whilst holding the other nosehole closed.
Have a HOT shower in the morning landing on your forehead, warming up and steaming.
(after this I usually do the nosewash under the shower.)
Use the pressurepoints vertically under the eyes, just under the cheakbone to have the glands in the sinuses produces cleansing fluid, to be cleared by sniffing in.
Massage the tubes, and sinuses.
When I'm diving I purposefully not equalise my mask to much. The waterpressure helps to close my nose just a bit, giving me a little bit resistance to equalise against.
While sinking I look slightly forward, down in the abys. Though this is just a bit off the ideal sinking position it helps to stretch and open up my eustachian tubes.
For equalisation, which I do often, I have a particular combination of movements. I combine a part of swallowing movement, a little exhale through the nose and contract some muscles near the nose.

Even though I' not about to see any deep water soon, I'll keel practicing the tubes' flexibilty, movement and muscles involved. I don't want to loose this awsome gift, that allows so much more relaxation, immersion and depth.

Love, Courage and Water!

Kars.