Anyone else ever have an issue with their ears after freefall?

[DrDom 0]

LyraM45

I've always had fun ear/nose/throat issues all my life. When I first started jumping my ears would always get all stuffy and I would have trouble hearing the rest of the day-- very much the same as you. Same after I fly commercially and my ears would get full during the descent and then I couldn't hear right for a few days. At the time I would just try to yawn and if that didn't work, then I was screwed.

Few years later I finally learned how to valsalva when I started to fly and use it a LOT when I scuba dive. Now I just grab my nose and blow gently after I'm under canopy and it usually gets the jobs done. Same when I fly. And if it doesn't work or gets painful to clear, then I've probably got a little cold or allergy inflammation and shouldn't be jumping at all.


ETA-- I should have read all the responses before posting mine, because it seems like everybody suggested valsalva already! Anywho, my post is another vote for valsava I guess! :)

I love that feeling!

You are not the contents of your wallet.

[GalFisk 0]

Have you guys using medicine or valsalva, found that pressure equalization gets easier with time, and you need to use the medicne or maneuver less?

I've almost never used either, and I found, as others have mentioned, that it gets better over time. My fist jump from 4000 meters had me in real pain once I was under canopy, but nowadays(~600 jumps) I usually don't even notice. Only when I have a cold can it become an issue again.

[skez 0]

I went skydiving with a cold ended up busting a eardrum took few months to heal and has never been the same....so it does happen I learnt the hard way

FTMC

[DrDom 0]

GalFisk

Have you guys using medicine or valsalva, found that pressure equalization gets easier with time, and you need to use the medicne or maneuver less?

I've almost never used either, and I found, as others have mentioned, that it gets better over time. My fist jump from 4000 meters had me in real pain once I was under canopy, but nowadays(~600 jumps) I usually don't even notice. Only when I have a cold can it become an issue again.

I know with things like steroids if the problem settles you may have less issues but would need to keep using the meds. The vassal a fixes the symptom not the issue so I'd imagine you would not see any decrease over time...

Admittedly I'm not an ENT specialist though.

You are not the contents of your wallet.