Blowing my ears out...

[kev]

Something i've been doing these last few years (and perhaps this is just me and my weird little world). You know when you're on a plane and suddenly your ears pop and you loose your complete mid- hi range? So you stick your fingers on your nose and push the air out through your ears right to get your hearing back?

Well, I kind of got addicted to this. Especially after a whole day of listening to audio, as i gradually lose "air" as I go on. I keep doing this in order to get my volume/hi range back as it gets noticeably more stale throughout the day.

I thought i'd post this to see if anyone else has similar things going on, or whether I'm a complete freak and am the only person who does this

 

[SocialNumb]

Just STOP doing it!

 

[slashvanyoung]

I don't think that's too healthy man...

 

[JeffTD]

This is perfectly healthy and normal - it's setting your sinuses + ears up for the pressure in the room.

 

[Metaltastic]

Better to try yawning a couple of times first before you resort to the nose-pinching method though! However, I also notice that I need to more often when I've been listening to loud music for some time, so maybe it's your body telling you to turn it down a bit?

 

[akarawd]

Thanks for the advice man - it really helps near the end of the day

Cheers !
akarawd

 

[slashvanyoung]

I thought it's for the same reasons not so healthy, as repeated, hard sneezing/blowing one's nose is..

 

[slashvanyoung]

I'm not paranoid, this might hurt your ear:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valsalva_maneuver

Normalizing middle-ear pressures

When rapid ambient pressure increase occurs as in diving or aircraft descent, this pressure tends to hold the Eustachian tubes closed, preventing pressure equalization across the ear drum, with painful results.[3][4][5] To avoid this painful situation, divers, caisson workers and aircrew attempt to open the Eustachian tubes by swallowing, which tends to open the tubes, allowing the ear to equalize itself.

If this fails, then the Valsalva maneuver may be used. It should be noted this maneuver, when used as a tool to equalize middle ear pressure, carries with it the risk of auditory damage from over pressurization of the middle ear.[4][6][7][8] It is safer, if time permits, to attempt to open the Eustachian tubes by swallowing a few times, or yawning. The effectiveness of the "yawning" method can be improved with practice; some people are able to achieve release or opening by moving their jaw forward or forward and down, rather than straight down as in a classical yawn.[4] Opening can often be clearly heard by the practitioner, thus providing feedback that the maneuver was successful.

 

[Melodeath]

I can control the popping muscles of my ears, so I don't need to ever do the yawning method or anything.

I used to be able to just hold the pressure anytime I wanted to reduce the loudness of the world around me
I can still do the same, but it doesn't really reduce loudness anymore. All it does is allow me to hear my own breathing inside my head.

 

[crazykarl]

chew gum. works best for me. tried the nose blow thing, hurts a lot! yawning isn't as effective. gum all the way

 

[Lasse Lammert]

some people are able to achieve release or opening by moving their jaw forward or forward and down, rather than straight down as in a classical yawn

this is how I'm doing it...I thought everyone was.

actually I don't even have to do that, usually I don't even open my mouth, I just flex the muscle at the very back of my tongue a bit....hard to describe

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, I pretty much do too, but I figured just typing "yawn" was sufficient rather than all that

 

[Suicide_As_Alibi]

I have never needed to do this artificially unless I'm on a plane/in a train going through a tunnel... what is wrong with you people? What room are you listening to music in where the pressure is changing that severely? Are you mixing at the top of a mountain? Or in an iron lung maybe?

Steve

 

[Jackal_Strain]

This is perfectly safe. It's called a valsalva maneuver. As long as you don't overdo it by blowing too hard or do it too frequently, it carries no risk.
I actually study to be an audiologist so I believe I know what I'm talking about.

 

[Aaron Smith]

The yawn or swallow method doesn't always do it for me. I don't like to resort to the pressurized thing, but sometimes it's the only thing that works. Normally for me it it's pressurize first, then the yawn clears that new pressure away.

 

[SocialNumb]

audiologist

I had to google that shit, never heard of it.

 

[kev]

Thanks for the input guys. I knew you'd be in the know! Feel happier about that now : )

 

[Metal Overload]

this is how I'm doing it...I thought everyone was.

actually I don't even have to do that, usually I don't even open my mouth, I just flex the muscle at the very back of my tongue a bit....hard to describe

I do this, an yeah is hard to describe.

 

[Ermz]

I love audiology. Everyone I know, including myself has received NO AID WHATSOEVER from it with our respective auditory ailments. I'm going almost 2 years now since my right ear fucked out after a simple sinus congestion and not a single 'doctor' around here has been able to help with decongesting my middle ear.

Anyway the move should be fairly safe as long as you don't blow too hard or too frequently.