How do I prevent painful air pressure differences in my ear when flying? [duplicate]
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I've travelled by plane many times, and I often experience strong pain in my ears when landing. It is caused by the rising cabin pressure, which creates a force on the eardrum. Apparently, my inner ear does not let any air in to compensate the pressure.
What can I do to prevent or mitigate this pain (and potential injuries)? Can I prepare myself, or do something during or after the flight?
Best Answer
This is a common problem, especially if you have a flu and your nose is clogged. What usually does the trick for me is:
- yawning. luckily flights make me tired in some way
- gulping. chewing gum and a bottle of water will be helpful.
A quick google for "ear pressure relief" adds to the list:
- "Inhale, and then gently exhale while holding the nostrils closed and the mouth shut"
- "Suck on candy" [source]
Wikihow has a similar list on tricks that includes recommendations on medicine. Besides what has already been said they recommend:
- Taking antihistamines before the flight
- special filtered earplugs available in pharmacies and airport stores
Also stay awake during the flight so you don't miss the initial part of the descent sleeping which is usually hardly noticed but makes for a good part of pressure difference to build up which then takes time to compensate (we're talking days here).
In a discussion to a somewhat related question it was mentioned that there are business jets which offer sea-level altitude pressure if you are willing and able to splurge on that.
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Why does flying make my ears hurt?
Every time a plane takes off (ascends) and lands (descends), the air pressure changes and the ears need to adapt. Until the Eustachian tubes equalize the pressure, the difference between the inside and outside pushes on the eardrum. This pressure difference causes it to hurt and not work properly.Where should you sit on a plane to avoid ear pain?
It's also the case if you have a window seat, no matter where on the plane you are, the study revealed. This suggests you should book ear-friendlier seats from the middle up to the top of the aircraft and along the aisle.How to prevent ear pain with flying
More answers regarding how do I prevent painful air pressure differences in my ear when flying? [duplicate]
Answer 2
The best way is to have a chewing gum. You can also block your nostrils, close your mouth and push the air through your ear conduits.
If you have a cold, it might get worse. There are some medicines available to take before the flight.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Anete Lusina, Erik Mclean, Gustavo Fring, Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz