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What can happen if you dive with congestion from a cold or allergy? Why should you never dive with earplugs? Congestion from a cold or allergy can block eustachian tubes, preventing the equalization of pressure in the ears necessary for diving. This poses a risk of ear pain or damage. Similarly, earplugs block the same process of pressure equalization and should therefore not be worn during diving.

When you have a cold or allergy, your eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to your throat, can become congested. This prevents equalizing pressure in your ears, which is especially necessary when diving as water pressure increases with depth. Without being able to properly equalize pressure, you risk experiencing ear pain or even harming your eardrum.

Similarly, wearing earplugs while diving can also create problems with pressure equalization. As your depth changes while diving, the ambient pressure changes as well and needs to be equalized frequently. Earplugs can block this crucial pressure equalization process, leading to the same risks as diving with congestion.

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