With summer holiday season upon us, you probably have a flight coming up, which means it’s almost time for the dreaded ear popping.
‘Airplane ear’ is the most horrible feeling, but an audiologist has shared five simple tips to prevent it, and make flying so much more enjoyable.
Why do your ears pop on planes?
Audiologist Ashish Shah explains that ear popping, also known as Ear Barotrauma, occurs due to an imbalance between the air pressure inside the middle ear and the air pressure outside of it. It most commonly occurs during takeoff and landing, and sometimes during air turbulence, due to the quick change in pressure as the plane climbs higher or lower in the sky.
The Eustachian tube is a small passage in the ear that regulates air pressure. Your ear pops when this tube is unable to respond to the pressure change quick enough, an AIMS Public Health report reveals. This can result in “outward bulging” of another area of the ear called the tympanic membrane, which is what causes some people to get earache.
Tips to prevent plane ear popping
Shah has recommended these tips to stop your ears from popping, or unpop them quickly and safely when they do, preventing earache.
1. Learn the Valsalva Maneuver
First, he said you should use a method called the Valsalva Manoeuvre to force your ears to pop, a breathing technique that can be used to unclog ears, slow down the heart rate and diagnose an autonomic nervous system.
Here’s how to do it:
- Sit or stand upright and take a deep breath
- Close your mouth and pinch your nostrils closed using your fingers
- Gently and slowly exhale while keeping your mouth and nose closed
- You should feel a popping sensation as air enters the Eustachian tubes
- Release the pressure and inhale slowly to complete the manoeuvre
2. Yawn, chew and swallow
Yawning, swallowing and chewing all open up the ear canal and alter the pressure, helping with ‘airplane ear’ too.
“You can keep this up by drinking lots of fluids and eating or chewing mint gum, which will help generate more saliva to help you swallow more and keep your ears comfortable,” he said.
3. Take antihistamines
His third tip is to take antihistamines or hayfever tablets before the flight, which can help as they contain decongestants, which are typically used to unblock sinuses.
“However, they can be very helpful for popping ears as they help relieve inner ear pressure,” the audiologist says.
4. Wear earplugs
Shah also recommended wearing earplugs, particularly filtered ones, during a flight as they can prevent pressure from building up against your eardrum during takeoff and landing.
“It’s still a good idea to yawn, swallow, or chew whilst wearing them to increase their benefits. You can purchase filtered earplugs at local supermarkets, drugstores or pharmacies,” he added.
5. Use a nasal spray
Finally, another way to stop that uncomfortable feeling is using a nasal spray, which can help reduce swelling in the sinuses and open up the ears.
“This can help to balance the pressure inside the inner ear and minimise the chances of developing aeroplane ear,” Shah explained.
Ashish Shah is an audiologist at The Hearing Care Partnership, a family-owned, independent hearing care provider with over 280 practices nationwide.
