|
Did you know that your ears are
connected to your throat?
Your middle ear is a sealed
chamber containing tiny bones that transmit sounds
to the nerves in your inner ear. When the pressure
outside your body changes (like when you drive up
a high mountain, or like when the cabin pressure
in an airplane changes), a valve in your
eustachian tubes opens, and the pressure is
equalized. Many people reccomend swallowing or
blowing while holding your nose to clear your ears
if you have trouble...That's because your sinuses
are connected to your eustachian tube. When your
sinuses are blocked, or irritated, your eustachian
tubes can become blocked as well. This is why
sinus medication can help you clear your ears. I
promise this is true; it is not that I don't know
my nose from my ear! Antihistamines (Chlophenarimine,
Entex, ternafdine (Seldane) )will help, and you
should take these with you if you have to fly with
a cold or allergies.
If you have a lot of trouble
clearing your ears all the time, try this:
- Practice! Divers LEARN to
clear their ears with practice; we are simply
conscious of the part of our body that opens the
Eustacian tubes, like other people are conscious
of their fingers. Try to clear your ears a few
times every now and again by blowing gently
while holding your nose.
- Go ahead and try the old
standbys, chewing gum and holding your nose and
blowing. These usually work if you keep at it.
- FOR THE DIVER: Same for you,
only more important since failure to clear your
ears could result in eardrum damage. But WATCH
OUT! DO NOT TAKE an antihistamine that makes
you sleepy! You will get "narced" more
easily and have other judgement and performance
problems. If you have congestion, take
ternafdine (Seldane), or Entex, which don't make
you sleepy.
|
