How to Equalize Your Ears When Scuba Diving: Valsalva, Frenzel, and What to Do When One Ear Won't Clear

Ear trouble is the most common reason I see divers abort a descent, and it is the reason behind more than a few people quitting scuba altogether. The good news is that almost everyone can learn to equalize comfortably. It is a skill, not a talent, and like buoyancy it gets easier once you understand what is happening inside your head and practice a few techniques on purpose.

This guide explains why your ears hurt on descent, the main equalization techniques and how to do each one, a step-by-step descent routine, what to do when one ear will not clear, how to handle a reverse block on the way up, and the gear choices that make equalizing easier.

Why Your Ears Hurt When You Dive

Your middle ear is an air space behind the eardrum. It connects to the back of your throat through a narrow passage called the Eustachian tube, which is normally closed. As you descend, water pressure pushes in on the eardrum while the air behind it stays at surface pressure. The eardrum bows inward, and that stretch is the pressure and pain you feel.

Equalizing means pushing a little air up the Eustachian tubes into the middle ear so the pressure inside matches the water pressure outside. Because of Boyle's Law, the biggest pressure change happens near the surface: going from the surface to 33 feet doubles the pressure, while going from 33 to 66 feet adds only half again. That is why the first 10 to 15 feet are where most divers struggle, and why you need to equalize most often at the start of a descent.

If you do not equalize, or you keep descending after it starts to hurt, you risk middle ear barotrauma, also called ear squeeze. Mild cases cause pain and a blocked feeling that can last for days. More serious cases can involve fluid or bleeding in the middle ear, a ruptured eardrum, or, rarely, inner ear injury.

Ear Equalization Techniques for Scuba Diving

Divers Alert Network (DAN) describes several ways to open the Eustachian tubes. Learn at least two, because the one that works on the surface is not always the one that works at 10 feet with a stuffy nose.

Valsalva Maneuver

Pinch your nostrils closed and blow gently through your nose, as if you were blowing it into a tissue. This is the technique most open water courses teach, and it works for most divers. The key word is gently. Blowing hard against tubes that are already locked can make them seal tighter, and very forceful attempts can injure the inner ear. Do not hold the pressure for more than a few seconds.

Toynbee Maneuver

Pinch your nose and swallow. Swallowing pulls the tubes open while your tongue pushes air back toward them. It is a useful option for divers who find Valsalva uncomfortable, and many divers combine the two.

Frenzel Maneuver

Pinch your nose, close the back of your throat as if you were about to lift something heavy, and make a "K" sound with the back of your tongue. The tongue acts like a piston and pushes air into the tubes without involving your chest muscles. Frenzel takes some practice, but it is gentle and works well head-down, which is why freedivers rely on it.

Lowry Technique

A combination of Valsalva and Toynbee: pinch your nose, then blow gently and swallow at the same time. It feels awkward at first but helps many divers who struggle with either method alone.

Voluntary Tubal Opening and the Edmonds Technique

Some divers can open their Eustachian tubes without pinching anything, by tensing the soft palate and pushing the jaw forward and down, like the start of a yawn. It takes a lot of practice to learn. The Edmonds technique adds a gentle Valsalva to that jaw-forward position. If you are struggling with the basic methods, these are worth practicing on land.

A simple way to practice is in front of a mirror on dry land. When a technique works you will usually feel a soft pop or click in both ears. Practice until you can feel it reliably, then try it in a pool before your next open water dive.

A Step-by-Step Descent Routine

Technique matters, but timing matters more. Most ear problems I see come from divers who wait until it hurts. Use this routine on every dive:

1. Start before you get in. Gently equalize a few times on the boat or beach while you gear up. If your ears pop easily on the surface, that is a good sign. If they do not, take note and plan a slower descent.
2. Pre-pressurize at the surface. Give one gentle equalization just before you dump air from your BCD, so you start with slight positive pressure in your middle ears.
3. Descend feet first. A Valsalva takes noticeably more force head-down than head-up. A feet-first descent is easier on your ears and gives you better control.
4. Look up. Tilting your head back slightly can help open the tubes.
5. Equalize early and often. DAN's rule of thumb is to equalize about every two feet. Do not wait for discomfort; aim to equalize before you feel any pressure at all.
6. Use a line or a reference. A descent line, anchor line, or sloping bottom lets you control your rate and stop instantly. Descending in open blue water with no reference is where people drop too fast.
7. Equalize again at depth. Even a small pressure difference held for several minutes can cause barotrauma, so give one more gentle equalization when you level off.

What to Do When One Ear Won't Clear

Every diver has days when one ear is slower than the other. Here is how to handle it without hurting yourself:

1. Stop descending the moment you feel pressure that does not resolve. Signal your buddy that you have an ear problem.
2. Ascend a few feet until the pressure eases. Less pressure on the eardrum makes the tube easier to open.
3. Try a different technique. If Valsalva is not working, try Toynbee or Frenzel. Tilt the stubborn ear toward the surface while you equalize.
4. Move your jaw. Wiggling the jaw side to side or swallowing can help open a sticky tube.
5. Descend again slowly once it clears, equalizing more often than before.
6. Call the dive if it will not clear. Never force it and never "push through" the pain. Missing one dive is a far better outcome than a damaged ear that keeps you out of the water for weeks.

If you have a cold, allergies, or congestion, the honest advice is to skip the dive. Swollen tissue around the Eustachian tubes is the most common reason ears will not clear. Some divers use decongestants, but they can wear off during a dive and contribute to a reverse block on ascent. Talk to a physician familiar with diving medicine before using any medication to dive.

Reverse Block: When Your Ears Hurt on Ascent

Normally the expanding air in your middle ear vents out on its own as you ascend. A reverse block happens when the Eustachian tube does not open to let that air out, so pressure builds behind the eardrum and pushes it outward. You may feel pain, fullness, or sudden dizziness.

If it happens, stop your ascent, signal your buddy, and descend a few feet to relieve the pressure. Then ascend more slowly while you swallow, wiggle your jaw, or try a Toynbee maneuver. Avoid a forceful Valsalva on ascent, because it adds more air to a space that is already over-pressurized. Keep an eye on your gas supply and ascend slowly enough to let the ear vent.

Gear That Makes Equalizing Easier

Equipment will not fix a technique problem, but the wrong gear can make a good technique harder to use.

A Mask With an Easy-to-Grip Nose Pocket

Every pinch-based technique depends on sealing your nostrils quickly, with gloves on, without breaking your mask seal. A soft, well-defined nose pocket makes that easy. A low-volume mask also needs less air to equalize the mask itself, which helps prevent mask squeeze. Whatever mask you wear, exhale a little air through your nose as you descend to keep the mask equalized too. Compare fits in our dive masks collection.

The Oceanic Shadow is one of our best-selling masks and a good example of what to look for: a soft liquid silicone skirt with a nose pocket that is easy to find with a gloved hand.

If you want a clearer view along with a low-profile fit, the Hollis M-1 uses extra-clear low-iron glass in a frameless, low-volume design.

Hoods

A snug hood keeps your ears warm in cold water, but it can trap a pocket of air over the ear canal. As you descend, that trapped air can cause an external ear squeeze. After you get in the water, pull the hood away from your face briefly to let water flood in, and consider a hood with a vent if this keeps happening. Browse options in our hoods and vests collection.

Ear Plugs

Do not wear standard swimming ear plugs while scuba diving. A plug seals an air space between itself and the eardrum that you cannot equalize, which can lead to an ear squeeze and can push the plug deeper into the canal.

Ear Care Between Dives

Healthy ears equalize more easily, and a few simple habits help on multi-day trips:

• Rinse and dry your ears with fresh water after diving, and tilt your head to drain them.
• Skip the cotton swabs. They push wax deeper and can irritate the canal.
• Use an after-dive rinse if you are prone to swimmer's ear, as long as your eardrums are intact.
• Stay hydrated and go easy on alcohol and tobacco, which both irritate the mucous membranes around your Eustachian tubes.

A small after-swim ear rinse fits in a save-a-dive kit and is easy to use between dives on a liveaboard or resort trip.

When to See a Doctor

Mild fullness after a tough descent usually fades within a day or two. See a doctor, ideally one familiar with diving medicine, and stay out of the water if you notice any of the following after a dive:

• Ear pain that persists or gets worse
• Hearing loss, muffled hearing that does not improve, or ringing in the ear
• Dizziness, vertigo, or nausea
• Blood or fluid coming from the ear

Dizziness or hearing changes after a dive can also be signs of inner ear barotrauma or decompression sickness, so do not wait them out. DAN's medical information line is a good first call if you are unsure.

The Bottom Line

Equalizing gets easier with practice. Learn at least two techniques on land, start equalizing before you leave the surface, descend feet first along a line, and equalize every couple of feet before you feel any pressure. If an ear will not clear, go up a little, try again gently, and be willing to call the dive. Pair good habits with a mask whose nose pocket you can grab easily, and ear trouble becomes a rare annoyance instead of a dive-ender. Find your fit in our dive masks collection.