Equalize With Ease

If you're a diver, rest assured that you will have trouble equalizing your ears at some point. Blame poor planning on evolution's part. When we evolved from sea dwellers to land dwellers, somebody forgot to take into account that we might want to return to the sea on vacation.

To make the transition easier, follow these six golden rules of equalizing:

• Equalize on the surface before you begin your descent.
• Equalize immediately upon beginning a descent and continue to do so every few feet to avoid discomfort.
• Never wait until discomfort is felt before equalizing.
•  If you have trouble equalizing, ascend slightly and try again. If after repeated attempts you still can't equalize, abort the dive.
• If you have trouble equalizing, use a line to help control your descent and maintain a feet-down position.
• Never attempt a lengthy or forceful Valsalva maneuver. You may rupture your eardrum.