How can you prevent your ears from popping on an airplane?

What are some precautions you can take to prevent your ears from popping during a high dive?

• I went cliff diving for the first time a few days ago and all was good except that my ears were in pain after. The jump was only 30 ft but I'm assuming my ears drums popped a little bit. I was wondering, what are some precaution I may take next time to prevent my ears from popping to the extent where I feel pain? My current technique is to: Exhale through my nose to prevent water from rushing into my nose. Once I was submerged in the water, I would spread my limbs out to slow me down so I wouldn't go too deep. Is there anything else I can do, or something I'm doing incorrectly so that I may prevent my ears from popping next time I go cliff diving?

• Answer:

  Well first make sure you have have all excess water out of your ears prior to diving. then, most experienced divers enter the water with their hands locked out above their head with one hand over the other. with your arms being by your ears this could help with any trauma. however one of my fellow divers landed a pike 2.5 wrong off 3M and burst her ear drum, so entering the water with proper form will help prevent injury. also once your body completely breaks the plane of the water you can pike "somersault" under water to stop yourself from going to the bottom too fast. also make sure you have nothing structurally wrong with your ears prior to going again. have fun and enjoy.