# I can open/close my eustachian tubes voluntarily - is this unusual? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 23, 2001, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383 "2001-09-23T20:13:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/21 "2001-09-24T00:56:37Z")
Evidently _not_ everyone can do this, or else they wouldn’t make such a big deal about equalizing pressure in a plane or in elevators by chewing gum. I can do it, and with a minimum of fuss – no funny faces required. If my nose is really clogged, though, I may require extraordinary distortions, or else to pinch my nose closed. ---
**Author:** ![ThunderBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThunderBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThunderBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/22 "2001-09-24T00:58:01Z")
Dang, just missed being the first to post about this. Yeah, I can open my left one or my right one individually. But I have to do it slowly. All these years, though… when going up a mountain (in a car or something), I’ve regarded those other people making strange faces and complaining about their ears as a bunch of weirdos. Like, what is their problem?! But now I know. Some people just don’t have the talent 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ThunderBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThunderBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThunderBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/23 "2001-09-24T01:02:23Z")
Oh, and isn’t it a natural event when swallowing? I mean, can you swallow _without_ opening your eustachean tubes? Becaus I personally _can’t_ do that. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/24 "2001-09-24T01:43:02Z")
I think I can open them voluntarily, without movement of the jaw…To close them, though, I have to hold my nose and keep my mouth shout and try to breathe. I do not think this is the best description. Yes, **ThunderBunny** I can swallow without opening my tubes, but is must be a small amount(usually a beverage). If I must chew or open my mouth too much, then it usually opens. Also, it opens when I yawn. ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/25 "2001-09-24T02:35:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by FireUnderpantsBoobs \* > > \*\*I can do it (at least I think this is what you mean) without moving my jaw, but my eyes have to be closed for it to work. It does sound like white noise, right? I never thought anything of it before this thread. \*\* > > I can make the white noise phenomenon happen by closing my eyes too, but it doesn’t open my eustachian tubes when I do it. \*\* I’ve been practicing it now. I can do it correctly, without moving jaw or eye muscles. ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@Lady\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Ice)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/26 "2001-09-24T02:35:20Z")
I can do it, but I flex the back of my throat, not my tongue. I can open the right one individually, but not the left. Also, I get the crackling noise when I do it, but what is this white noise you talk about? I don’t get that. Is my hearing worse than I thought?(Listened to too many hair bands back in high school I guess) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/27 "2001-09-24T02:52:54Z")
“White noise” is the technical term for what you hear on the radio or see on the TV when you’re not on a station. It’s the same sound as the crackling that everyone’s talking about. Self-experimenting here, I seem to be able to do something like this without moving any other facial muscles, but I have to coordinate it with my breathing, or hold my breath. At the present moment, I’m able to do it with the left ear in isolation, but not the right, but I think that this might be something that would change from day to day… Related to amount of congestion, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/28 "2001-09-24T03:28:54Z")
When I tighten certain muscles at the back of my jaw it does it, but only on my right side. Just can’t do the left side. ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Bannon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Race\_Bannon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Bannon)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/29 "2001-09-24T03:37:50Z")
I can do it easily without moving anything but the “inside back of my nose/mouth”. I learned to do it while flying. Broomstick, I thought this _was_ the Valsalva maneuver, but I never worried about what that really meant. What is it? And, it doesn’t work for me underwater - I guess the pressure is too much. Gotta hold my nose and equalize. ---
**Author:** ![Theobroma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@Theobroma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theobroma)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/30 "2001-09-24T03:50:57Z")
My husband and I can both do it, without any other muscle movement. He calls it “clicking his ears.” Sure is a handy thing! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/31 "2001-09-24T05:12:30Z")
I do it by semi-yawning. Or fully yawning. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/32 "2001-09-24T08:11:01Z")
Okay, this isn’t IMHO. If you can do it, but don’t know _how_ you do it, you don’t need to post to say “me too”. If you do know how you do it (in greater detail than given above) please let us know. I just don’t want the answer to be buried somewhere on page 5 surrounded by a couple hundred _me too_s. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/33 "2001-09-24T09:43:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kellymccauley \* > I thought this _was_ the Valsalva maneuver, but I never worried about what that really meant. What is it? > > And, it doesn’t work for me underwater - I guess the pressure is too much. Gotta hold my nose and equalize. Valsalva is basically the “hold your nose and equalize”. Hold nose, exhale upward into your nasal cavity to increase the internal air pressure and force the eustachian tubes open. Don’t do this too hard and vigorously or you could hurt yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Cougarfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Cougarfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cougarfang)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/34 "2001-09-24T10:28:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chickenhead \* > \*\*When I read the subject line, I was thinking of **fallopian** tubes. :eek: I was also thinking, “And just how the _hell_ do you know you’re doing that?” \*\* gawd, me too! and i always yawn or swallow (just “dry” swallow, not candy or anything). odd, though. i can’t do it the valsalva way, it always makes it worse. weird… ---
**Author:** ![Sn-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sn-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sn-man)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/35 "2001-09-24T13:34:32Z")
I live in Colorado so I “learned” how to do this out of necessity. I tighten the muscle in the back of the throat. As way of a description: think about swallowing, start the action(just the slight tightening of the muscles, and then stop. If I do it slowly, I can do one ear (left only). Side question: of those who can do one ear only, is there any correlation between being left handed vs. right handed? ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/36 "2001-09-24T13:47:53Z")
I can do it, much like the others. Easier on my right side. But I had many earaches as a child, and I’ve always feared that it was a consequence of that–that perhaps some tiny puncture to my eardrum has remained from all of that trauma, and therefore there is an opening through which air can escape when I try to equalize pressure. When I get sinus infrections/head colds now, and my ears clog up, I can sometimes disturbingly hear/feel a wet sucking sound in my eardrums. Blech. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/37 "2001-09-24T13:50:17Z")
Too strange, I was laying on the couch this weekend all stuffed up with allergies. It just happens to be leather butt I’m sure the same would have happened with vinyl… I swallowed and my ear stuck to the seat. It’s like it formed some suction cup and I couldn’t lift up my head. I’d try and pick it up and a big pyramid of cowhide would come up with it until I couldn’t lift it anymore. Rather than headtote the sofa I swallowed and liberated myself but I couldn’t help but think how embarassing that would have been to have happened in public, like on a plane as mentioned above. ---
**Author:** ![breaknrun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@breaknrun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breaknrun)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/38 "2001-09-24T14:40:37Z")
I have a question. If you close your eustachian tubes, won’t that block out sound? I can pop them voluntarily but I can’t keep them closed or something like that. I have noticed a couple times during waking that they would open though after being in a closed state for a while. It was rather peaceful having them closed and not hearing any noise but the act of waking up would trigger something in me that I guess says something like “all systems go” and sound would flood in. I wished I could do that voluntarily. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/39 "2001-09-24T14:42:55Z")
breaknrun? breaknrun? breaknrun? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383/40 "2001-09-24T15:08:55Z")
When I do it I can feel muscles moving when I place fingers on the skin at the back of my upper jaw. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-open-close-my-eustachian-tubes-voluntarily-is-this-unusual/83383.md?page=3)