7 Ways To Cope With Airplane Ear Pain

There is no denying the fact that airplane travel has made our lives super easy and has saved us a whole lot of time. But along with the advantages, one of the major troubles of flight travel is ear pain. This pain is aptly referred to as airplane ear and is described as an acute pain in the ear. The primary reason for airplane ear is the changes in air pressure inside the airplane due to the changing altitude. Sometimes the pain occurs and disappears just as the pressure normalizes, but seldom the pain can also be quite severe and even cause an ear drum rupture leading to bleeding from the ear. For adults, it is still a bearable pain, but it can be very troublesome for little children traveling in a flight. However, there are certain precautions and measures we can take in order to cope with airplane ear pain. Let's check them out!

1. Chewing Gum Helps

Surprised as you may seem, chewing a gum during take-off or landing can help you ease any ear pain due to changing air pressure inside the flight cabin. The chewing action keeps the tubes in the inner ears open and helps in coping with the change in pressure. Children over 3 years and adults can practice this to prevent acute airplane ear troubles.

2. Sip Juice & Rely On Milk Bottle For Infants

Like chewing, the action of sucking can also help prevent ear pain during a flight travel. Children and adults can sip juice or even water with a straw; it helps to open the ear tubes and deal with changing air pressures. For infants and newborns, giving them a bottle of milk to drink, or even breastfeeding may prevent the ear pain.

3. Use Ear Plugs

In case you are prone to severe ear pain during airplane travels, or you are on a long distance flight, you may not remember the above tips every time there is a pressure change in the cabin, or you may be asleep for most of the time. So using a good pair of ear plugs may be the right solution for your ear pain, in this case.

4. Try Yawning

This is one of the easiest ways to combat airplane ear. Probably it's a good idea to be sleepy during your plane ride, because the act of yawning tends to open up the Eustachian canal in the inner ear and provide relief from ear block or ear pain due to changing air pressure.

5. Forced Exhalation

It is a good idea to open up the ear tubes by following this simple method. Hold the nose to stop breathing, and try to exhale from the closed nostrils. You will hear a popping sound as your ear tubes open. This will help prevent ear pain. Remember, not to exhale too hard, as you may stand the risk of rupturing your eardrum. Instead, do it with light pressure and stop as soon as your ears open up.

6. Medicines For Decongestion

Mucous build-up inside your nasal canal and ear tubes may lead to discomfort and the whole thing is made worse by a case of airplane ear condition. Therefore, if you are suffering from cold, or have a congested tract, OTC medicines for relieving congestion may be of real help. Have your medication an hour prior to your take off and remain pain-free during your flight.

7. Eat In General Or Mimick The Act Of Swallowing

As long as your mouth is chewing, swallowing, sucking, or even yawning, there is little chance of an ear pain inside the airplane cabin. So keep cough drops, mints, chewing gum, water, juice, and even solids like chips or biscuits handy whenever you feel the chance of an ear pain.

Now that you are aware of some of the things you can easily practice in order to cope with ear pain during air travel, fly without worries and have fun. Happy travelling!

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Contributed By: Kriti Mazumdar