Any tips for ear pain (pressure)??

[bizzy liz]

Hi all,

I'm probably butting in on your forum as I'm only a regular SLF, but I really need your advice.

I suffer terribly from ear pain and pressure, particularly when the a/c makes a quick descent e.g. into Heathrow. How do you cope? Some of you MUST have encountered this at some point.

Have tried the "earplane" jobbies, they worked sometimes but not others (quick descents -useless), blowing the nose, sucking sweets etc. etc.

I know it's not life threatening, but it ain't pleasant.

Any tips welcome. Thanks.

[TheWestCoast]

Try opening your mouth as if yawning and see if you can "pop" your ears (hard to explain in words). If you can do it, keep it going on ascents and descents, every few seconds if necessary. Works for me.

I am always careful to be awake for ascents and descents (SLF, not crew!) to do this. If the plane climbs or descends when I'm asleep my ears will be screwed up with the ear on the side I had my head tilted down on usually worst.

[Beatriz Fontana]

Bizzy Liz,

Any tips welcome...............Have you tried Q-Tips???

[PyroTek]

Beatriz Fontana

I've been advised by many medical professionals not to put Q tips in ears, with can push wax in there into places where it won't come out without medical intervention (I had to get my ears syringed because of it).

bizzy liz

The sensation you are talking about is caused by the Eustachian tube being blocked or partially blocked, doing the manuevre to equalise pressure is done by blowing out while holding your nose and mouth closed, this equalizes the pressure between your ears and the outside environment, hopefully getting rid of any discomfort, (the manuevre is quite uncomfortable in itself unfortunately.)

[Jerry B.]

Ear Pain

Hold your nose closed, close your mouth and sloooowly blow, increasing the pressure. Your ears will pop and your pain is gone. Don't use a sharp blow since this could cause discomfort. If one ear pops before the other one, hold the popped ear closed. Even if your ears don't pop, you should feel the pain disappear almost immediately. Start the procedure early during the descent (before the pain appears) and repeat as often as required. You will soon get the hang of and I'll bet that you will never experience discomfort again.

Cheers,

Jerry B.

[renrut]

Ear pain

Put a paper cup over each ear during the descent. They reduce the rate of pressure change. Used to use this method on small babies.

[Donzers]

Ear Pain

Perfect advice from Jerry B. The trick is to start trying to equalise the minute the descent starts, don't wait until the pain has started. Constantly repeat procedure until you have landed.

Some people find it useful to use something like Olbas Oil. Get a plastic glass, put a tissue in it, ask the crew to pop a tiny amount of boiling water on the tissue and put a few drops of Olbas Oil and inhale the vapours. This can help if you have a cold.

[bizzy liz]

Thank you all for your help. Much appreciated.

However, I have tried all the methods suggested, except for the paper cups over the ears! But I must say the idea of starting the other procedures BEFORE the ear pressure builds might do the trick!

Tks again.

[wiggy]

Paper cups ....really..oh well I'm sure laughing is a good way to clear the tubes.... of the onlookers.

Clear early, gently, and often is the best advice...chewing helps as well.

[bizzy liz]

Wiggy,

I think renrut's suggestion of the "cups" may have merit. I'm going to try it anyway, and TBH I couldn't care less about the other pax. Let them laugh!! I'll probably be in knots myself anyway!
We have little conical cups at our water cooler at work, and I'll pinch some for the next flight. They're not as big as the usual ones. Will report back.

All the best.

[danielsirrom]

The most amazing remedy I ever saw for this problem was done for my 8 year old daughter by a stewardess on a BMI Baby flight.

She was crying with pain and the stewardess ran to the galley, got a plastic cup, put tissues in the bottom of it and poured on some very hot water. She then placed the cup over her ear and pain disappeared almost immediately.

Don't know how it worked, but it did!

[matt_hooks]

I'd imagine something along the lines of the very hot water causing the air to expand, along with the heat softening any wax blocking the eustatian and allowing proper equalisation of pressures.

The valsalva manouver (holding nose and mouth closed and blowing out) is the recommended procedure, however if you have a heavy cold it can also serve to force infected material (snot if you like) into areas it shouldn't be, meaning a worse infection. The big one is, if you have a heavy cold/blocked up nose/ears then don't fly!

[Flyboy01]

If the valsalva doesn't work or anything else that involves putting cups over your ears There is a spray called Otrivin which works really well. It is a decongestant and helps equalise your ears in no time

[cats_five]

Originally Posted by matt_hooks

I'd imagine something along the lines of the very hot water causing the air to expand, along with the heat softening any wax blocking the eustatian and allowing proper equalisation of pressures.

There is the ear drum between the eustatian tube and the outer ear and it should be intact e.g. wax can't get into the tube. AFAIK the pain is the unequal pressures on the ear drum...

[Dan Winterland]

Otrivin is the most powerful decongestant available without prescription. It's usually only available from behind the counter at UK pharmacies. But don't use it too much or it will give you persistant rhinitis. Don't use earplugs. Some are advertised as being useful for this purpose. This is rubbish - they will probably be more harmful!

My advice is to chew 'Airwaves' chewing gum. It has menthol which will help open the eustacion tubes while the chewing action will exercise them and allow air into the middle ear. It really works and in over two decades of professional flying, I have found it really is the best method. I never fly without it.

Be careful while re-inflating the middle ear with the valsalva movement (pinching the nose and blowing). Apply too much pressure and you can perforate your eardrum. The voice of experience!

[Shark Slayer]

In the short term reduce or better DONT FLY!
Get professional advice - see a doctor or better still an ENT bod!
I've popped a 'drum caused by an infection, not flying. As a professional pilot thats my sincere advice. We are Pilots and Cabin Crew who take our jobs seriously, but NOT medicos.

[cal900]

Exercise can be very good for blocked ears etc.

Helps move blockages.

Just a thought but even slim people aint always very fit.

[CabinCrew78]

Have u ever tried Olbas oil?

I think it's great....u can get it in Boots and when u r on a flight just ask the crew for a cup of hot water and just put few drops in it.... it really works!!!!

[Jaxon]

I've noticed over many years that drinking fluids immediately prior to descent is a problem. I've also noticed that it doesn't take long - perhaps as little as 20 minutes for this transitory bit of increased resistance to equalization to pass.

I always drink a lot in flight to maintain hydration and it has been a very noticeable effect so I suggest avoiding drinking anything within a half hour of climb/descent.

[206cc_jim]

Olbas Oil in water when i'm a pax and when working, olbas oil nasal "sniffer"

not sure the correct name for them but they look like a white tube with menthol wool inside them. Swear by them!