What technique can be used to equalize pressure in the ears?

The Valsalva maneuver is an effective technique for equalizing pressure in the ears. This method involves closing your mouth, pinching your nose shut, and gently blowing as if trying to exhale while keeping your nostrils closed. This action increases the pressure in the throat and helps to open the Eustachian tubes, allowing air to flow into the middle ear and equalize the pressure with the external environment.

Using this method is particularly important during descents while diving, as the increase in water pressure can cause discomfort or pain if ear pressure is not equalized. The Valsalva maneuver is very commonly taught to divers because of its simplicity and effectiveness. It's essential to perform this technique gently to avoid damaging the ear.

Other techniques for equalizing pressure, such as the Frenzel maneuver, Toynbee maneuver, and swallowing technique, can also be used effectively, but the Valsalva maneuver is often the most widely recognized and simplest method that many divers first learn. Each method caters to slightly different preferences and anatomical differences, but the Valsalva maneuver is a foundational technique in diving practice.