Operations of balancing

The operations of balancing consist in balancing the pressure of the air contained in the air cavities of the head and the external medium, mainly in the field of deep-sea diving, but also in the air medium (aviation, etc).

The pressure balancing

At the time of the descent, the air contained in the average Oreille of a plunger is in depression compared to the ambient conditions, which creates a deformation of the tympanum. The plunger must then voluntarily insufflate air in its middle ear via the Eustachian tubes, in order to balance the pressures and thus to avoid any tear or pain.

This operation, if it is badly carried out, can prove traumatisante for the tympanums. This is why it must be realized in an early and frequent way at the time of the descent in plunged. On the other hand, the Eustachian tubes are thus made that it is not necessary to make of opposite operation to the increase, balance is done naturally (the air in overpressure in the drum of the ear opens the conduit, which facilitates its exit).

On ground, (except variation of brutal pressure) this operation is not necessary in measurement or the Eustachian tubes open themselves all the 1 or 2 minutes.

There exist several operations of balancing:

Various operations

Valsalva

See also: Operation of Valsalva

It is about the most used operation. It consists in gripping the nose and to blow gradually stops closed.

It has nevertheless as a disadvantage of being relatively traumatisante for the tympanum S, since the plunger forces balancing, but for advantage of being one of easiest to put into practice.

She is thus taught like first method of balancing, but must see herself substituting rather quickly another of the methods quoted below.

To note that one risks an important barotraumatism of the ear if one practices Valsalva during the increase.

Frenzel

See also: Operation of Frenzel

The operation known as of Frenzel consists in plating the language in top and with the back of the palate. It is necessary, Nez gripped, Bouche opened and Glotte closed, to place the language on the palate by pronouncing the sound " KE". This movement creates a light overpressure thus.

The method of Frenzel requires a certain drive.

Toynbee

See also: Operation of Toynbee

It consists, gripped nose and jaw closed, to carry out a movement of swallowing.

B.T.V. (voluntary gaping tubaire)

See also: voluntary Gaping tubaire

This operation results in a stimulation of certain muscles making it possible to open the Eustachian tubes. This is carried out by reproducing the movements caused by a yawn, while preserving the jaw quasi-closed.

Particular cases

Children

It is estimated that to the children , the maturity of the Eustachian tubes arrives towards the age from 7 to 8 years. It is then very difficult for them to carry out an effective balancing.

This explains why, in France, the Plongée underwater is prohibited of structure before this age.

Alterno-baric giddiness

It is an incident which rather frequently arrives in underwater Chasse.

With the descent in water, during the operation of balancing, if the latter were not carried out in a symmetrical way , there is an imbalance on the level of the furnished informations to the brain by the semicircular channels, which results then in a giddiness.

This incident is not dangerous in oneself, if it is not that it occurs in a potentially dangerous medium and that the victim is likely to panic and to drown.

Traumatisms

Eustachian tube

The risk in plunged is to cause a congestion of the horns. This one can cease quickly (while mouchant itself gently for example) or persist and cause rustles in the ears.

The fact of forcing the operation under these conditions can involve a perforation of the tympanum.

Tympanum

When the tympanum was traumatisé by a too late balancing or a too violent operation, it can occur a barotraumatic Otite. This one can go from the simple ignition to the perforation of the tympanum.

Blow of piston

What one calls a blow of piston is very often a Manœuvre of Valsalva carried out too late and too violently. It traumatize small membranes called round and oval windows between the ears average and intern.

That creates then acouphenes, feeling of noise in the Oreille. In the event of persistence the auditive embarrassment, it becomes essential to consult a specialist.

Exercises of education of the ear

(exercises recommended by the French federation of studies and underwater sports)

The purpose of they are to help to become aware of the muscles entering concerned for the voluntary mobilization of the Eustachian tubes.

They must be realized in front of an ice (at least at the beginning), little raised head, the fingers placed on both sides of the throat, approximately 1 cm above the Adam's apple.

All the exercises are to be realized initially stops open then stops closed.

Exercise n°1

  • to draw the language ahead possible then to return it and reduce it behind possible, by maintaining it against the floor of the palate
  • to place the point of the language behind the upper incisors and to scrape the palate of before behind while trying to touch the Luette

Exercise n°2

The most important exercise of the four.

To outline a movement of Swallowing without swallowing saliva in order to mobilize the veil of the palate.

Exercise n°3

  • to advance then to move back the jaw lower
  • to move it from left to right

Exercise n°4

  • to place the point of the language against the lower incisors, then to move the base of the language to the bottom behind by starting an incomplete movement of swallowing.

Exercise n°5

  • to support the point of the language against the lower incisors then to further project the jaw lower possible ahead (by maintaining the language against the teeth). To make the incomplete movement of swallowing then.

Rate/rhythm of the exercises

Exercises to carry out each day:
  • 1st week : 5 times 1 and 3 and 10 times 2
  • 2nd week : 10 times 4
  • 3rd week : 10 times 5
  • 4th week : 10 times 2,4 and 5

This number of repetitions is given like a minimum.

Sources: article on the Compensation and its methods of F. Di Méglio in Subaqua N°207 from July-August 2006

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