Ear Pain When Flying

While reading novels especially, thrillers or those based on war, a phrase such as, "I waited till my ears popped before diving", suggests to us that a fierce aerial or undersea action awaits us in the next few pages. You can get into the same situation of " popping of the ears" simply by flying. However, with it comes the ear pain when flying to some destination.

Severe Ear Pain When Flying

For an air hostess, it is very common to have to deal with passengers suffering from ear pain when flying or immediately after takeoff. Most complaints arise at the time of takeoff or landing. At both of these times, the air pressure inside the passenger cabin of the airplane changes, leading to the popping of your ears. This could lead, at landing or takeoff, to temporary hearing loss or to ear pain which can aggravate to an acute ear pain when flying. This condition is known as aerotitus which plugs at least 33% of air travelers. The severity of the ear pain when flying may increase, if your eustachian tubes are clogged because of either ear infection or sinus infection or both.

The eustachian tube leading from the middle ear opens into the throat. It plays an important role in maintaining the air pressure in the middle ear, by feeding or draining it of excess air, at the equilibrium with that of the atmosphere. Sometimes the eustachian tube is blocked or is smaller or inelastic than what is normal. In such a situation, it cannot cope up with the rapidly changing air pressure inside the airplane.

• Especially, at the time of takeoff, when you travel from a high to a low atmospheric pressure. This causes the air trapped inside your middle ear to expand and exert pressure on the eardrum because, it cannot escape down the eustachian tube.
• At the time of landing, your are traveling from a low to a high atmospheric pressure which acts on the eardrum and pushes it inwards causing you ear pain while flying.
• In these moments of flying, you experience agonizing ear pain.

How To Prevent Ear Pain When Flying

Allowing the air to rush in or out of the middle ear, through the unobstructed eustachian tube, will relieve you of ear pain when flying. The best way of achieving this is to try and keep the eustachian tube clear and working. The following is a list of remedies for ear pain when flying:

• You will benefit from postponing your flight, If you are suffering from either infected ears or sinuses, allergies or from the feeling of a stuffed up head. Taking this step may prove a wise decision in case of a middle ear infection and will allow you time to try some inner ear infection remedies or sinus infection treatment to treat the condition.
• If you have unavoidable pressing business, which makes it necessary for you to fly, ingesting a decongestant may reduce or relieve you partly of the ear pain when flying. Consume a decongestant every 6 hours for 24 hours before and after your air travel. The decongestant acts by shrinking the enlarged mucous membrane in your sinuses, ear canal and especially, eustachian tube which allows the air to pass more freely.
• Alternatively, you can use a nasal decongestant spray as soon as or before you get inside the plane which might clear the sinuses and make your flight an easy one.
• The simple act of chewing a gum from the moment you get on the plane till you get off, will help you keep the eustachian tube open and avoid ear pain when flying.
• Ear plugs are effective in decreasing the ear pain when flying.
• About half an hour before landing at your destination, start using the nasal spray every 5 minutes which will help in keeping the nasal passages open.
• The swallowing movements of the throat helps in maintaining the eustachian tube open, so try sucking on sweets during the flight.
• Avoid sleeping during the flight or wake up before landing and do some swallowing movements to open up the eustachian tube which can help you immensely in controlling ear pain when flying.

You may not believe it, but there are some people, who cannot bear the ear pain when flying and prefer to avoid it by adopting a slower means of transportation. If you do get afflicted with ear pain when flying for the first time, pain killers such as paracetamol, can surly relieve you of your ear problems. The ear pain when flying, appears to be an insurmountable handicap, if you are not prepared in advance to deal with it. However, it is not the whole truth.