## Why Do Your Ears Pop When Scuba Diving?
When you dive underwater, the pressure on your body increases. This is because water is much denser than air, so it pushes on your body more forcefully than air does. The pressure increase is what causes your ears to pop.
Your ears are connected to your sinuses by a narrow tube called the Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube helps to equalize the pressure between your ears and the outside environment. When you dive underwater, the pressure in your ears increases, but the pressure in your sinuses does not. This creates a pressure difference between your ears and your sinuses, which causes your ears to pop.
To equalize the pressure between your ears and your sinuses, you need to open your Eustachian tubes. You can do this by swallowing, yawning, or pinching your nose and blowing gently. Once your Eustachian tubes are open, the pressure in your ears will equalize with the pressure in your sinuses, and your ears will stop popping.
If you do not equalize the pressure between your ears and your sinuses, you may experience ear pain, ear damage, or even a perforated eardrum.
### Tips for Equalizing Your Ears
Swallow frequently.
Yawn.
Pinch your nose and blow gently.
Use a nasal decongestant.
Use earplugs.
### If Your Ears Do Not Pop
If you are unable to equalize the pressure between your ears and your sinuses, you should stop diving and ascend to a shallower depth. If you continue to dive without equalizing your ears, you may experience ear pain, ear damage, or even a perforated eardrum.
### Other Causes of Ear Popping
In addition to scuba diving, there are a number of other activities that can cause ear popping, including:
Flying
Driving up a mountain
Riding in a elevator
Chewing gum
Smoking
If you experience ear popping during any of these activities, you can try the same techniques that you would use to equalize your ears while scuba diving.
### Conclusion
Ear popping is a common experience for scuba divers. It is caused by the pressure difference between your ears and your sinuses. To equalize the pressure, you need to open your Eustachian tubes. You can do this by swallowing, yawning, or pinching your nose and blowing gently. If you are unable to equalize your ears, you should stop diving and ascend to a shallower depth.