Pressure and Your Body

You can also create an unequalizable space in your ear canal, either by wearing a too-tight wet suit hood that inadvertently seals against your ears, or by wearing ear plugs. In either case, you end up with an air space between your ear drum and the plug/hood that you can't equalize.

To prevent this, pull your hood away from your ears momentarily to allow the pressure to equalize, and nez er wear ear plugs while diving. The only exceptions are special ear protectors made specifically for scuba diving that allow for pressure equalization.You equalize the air space in your mask by simply exhaling into itthrough your nose.

If you forget to equalize your mask, you'll feel a mask squeeze, which is a pulling sensation on your face and eyes. You'll probably find that mask equalization becomes something you do automatically. Note that since your nose has to be inside the mask to equalize it, you can't use swimmer goggles for scuba diving - they don't enclose your nose and cannot be equalized. When you buy a mask, keep these considerations in mind.

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Dive Equipment Equipment Identification Fins Give Preview Introduction Padi Open Water Pressure and Your Body Regulators Scuba Systems

Scuba Tanks SnorkelsSubmersible Pressure Succed Course The Effects of Increased Air Density The Effects Pressure The Underwater World The Buddy System Valve Types