# Equalizing ear pressure... who else can do this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 20, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170 "2003-12-20T14:13:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9c0ed/32.png) [@zuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuma)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/1 "2003-12-20T14:13:53Z")
I was well into my 20s before I realized that that this ear pressure thing (airplaines, mountain driving) is really difficult for a lot of people. With a microscopic movement of my jaw, I can do it. Just opening my mouth a few fractions of a centimeter will do it as well. I was told by my dentist that I had a freakish jaw that dislocates whenever I open my mouth wide, which could have something to do with this ability. My dentist hates me, btw, as I have to take breaks every 3 minutes as it becomes to painful/difficult to keep my mouth open. I guess the ear pressure thing is the saving grace for this affliction. ---
**Author:** ![IcicleFuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ba8739/32.png) [@IcicleFuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IcicleFuzz)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/2 "2003-12-20T14:21:55Z")
I can do the same thing. Never realised I was a freak. ---
**Author:** ![Matchka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Matchka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matchka)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/3 "2003-12-20T14:22:21Z")
Your dentist is a freak…or you’re a snake:eek: I can do it that way. Can do it holding my nose. Can do it by keeping my mouth closed & moving my jaw _forward_ too. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/4 "2003-12-20T14:24:22Z")
I can. I don’t have to move my jaw though. I can “click” my ears about once a second by using muscles around the top of the neck. It seems to be the same set of muscles I use to wiggle my ears. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/5 "2003-12-20T14:40:24Z")
Like hawthorne, I can click my ears at will - very useful during plane rides and colds. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/6 "2003-12-20T16:12:28Z")
Yeah, I can do it. If I had to describe it, I would say it’s like I’m exhaling through my ears. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/7 "2003-12-20T17:29:08Z")
Man, I’m jealous. This is a chronic problem for me, and let me tell you, it’s annoying. I can sometimes equalize them by holding my nose, keeping my mouth shut, and trying to blow out air as hard as I can. Usually this only works if I go in the bathroom and turn on the hot shower so the room gets nice and steamy (because that helps the eustachian tubes open up). I also have a steroid spray that will open them, although it doesn’t make them “pop” – it takes a few hours for the pressure to gradually equalize. ---
**Author:** ![Matchka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Matchka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matchka)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/8 "2003-12-20T18:16:49Z")
**Hawthorne: I can “click” my ears about once a second by using muscles around the top of the neck** ZOW!!! Never tried that before. Feels more like muscles in the back/top of the throat. cool…gonna be doing this all day now…wonder if my ears are movin’…neat! 2 new tricks in one day! Now I’M a star in The Dope Show. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/9 "2003-12-20T18:29:57Z")
I can do this too, and click my ears as well. The right half of my jaw dislocates when I open mu mouth wide as well, though I don’t think this is related. I’ve never been able to describe what I’m doing to anyone who doesn’t know how to do it, though. It’s sort of like what happens to one’s neck muscles when yawning. I used to do a lot of snorkelling, and I think I worked it out then. ---
**Author:** ![Macrophage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/87869e/32.png) [@Macrophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macrophage)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/10 "2003-12-20T19:26:14Z")
Just move the jaw a little. I don’t think it’s that uncommon. ---
**Author:** ![Magickly\_Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magickly\_Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magickly_Delicious)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/11 "2003-12-20T21:02:00Z")
I can do it too, and I don’t move my jaw. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/12 "2003-12-20T21:03:49Z")
Why not just do a _Valsalva maneuver_ and obviate the chance of a painful jaw dislocation? ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/13 "2003-12-20T21:11:06Z")
I can do the ear click thing too, no jaw movement is necessary. I can’t dislocate my jaw, however, I do get these horrible muscle cramps under my jaw sometimes when I yawn. I’ve never, ever met anyone else who gets that. ---
**Author:** ![Herge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Herge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/14 "2003-12-20T21:50:32Z")
I can equalise this way also. Its common. I was actually taught when I learned SCUBA, that you should “wiggle” your jaw, at the same time as holding your nose and exhaling gently. ---
**Author:** ![Herge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Herge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/15 "2003-12-20T21:52:02Z")
Sorry, when I say “equalise”, I mean to equalise the pressure between the air space in your head and the water outside your head. This comes from SCUBA, but can be applied to eqealising pressure on an airplane etc also. ---
**Author:** ![Buran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Buran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buran)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equalizing-ear-pressure-who-else-can-do-this/220170/16 "2003-12-20T22:10:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mishell \* > \*\*I do get these horrible muscle cramps under my jaw sometimes when I yawn. I’ve never, ever met anyone else who gets that. \*\* You just have. I get that occasionally and everyone looks at me like I’m insane when I say “I get cramp in my jaw occasionally”, began to think it was just me! Very weird and painful feeling… BTW I can do the ear equalisation thing no problem. It took me a long time to realise that quite a few people _can’t_ do it. Possibly because I live (and grew up) at sea level and to get anywhere urban I have to go inland, very rapid rise from 0 to several thousand feet.