What if my ear is still blocked after my flight?
Here’s a simple guide on how to safely pop your ears after a flight. These tips are based on expert advice used in the USA. “Popping” your ears, or equalizing the pressure, can help ease discomfort. This discomfort happens when there’s a difference in pressure inside your ears and the cabin pressure on the plane.
What if my ear is still blocked after my flight?
1. Yawn or Swallow Often
Yawning and swallowing are two easy ways to help your ears adjust to pressure changes, especially after flying. These actions open the Eustachian tubes, small passages that connect the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat. When the tubes open, they let trapped air escape, balancing the pressure in your ears.
Why It Works:
Yawning and swallowing activate muscles that help open the Eustachian tubes. This lets air flow through the tubes and balances the pressure, especially useful during takeoff and landing when air pressure changes quickly.
How to Do It Effectively:
- Yawning: Take deep, exaggerated yawns if a normal yawn doesn’t work. You can even try to “fake” a yawn by opening your mouth wide, which sometimes prompts a real yawn and relieves the pressure.
- Swallowing: Swallowing frequently also keeps the tubes open. Drinking water slowly or sucking on hard candy can help, as they make you swallow more often.
When to Use It:
Yawning and swallowing are helpful during takeoff and landing when pressure changes fast. If your ears still feel blocked after landing, these techniques can relieve any leftover discomfort.
2. Try the Valsalva Maneuver
The Valsalva Maneuver is a common and helpful way to relieve pressure in your ears. To try it, close your mouth, pinch your nose, and gently try to blow air through your nose. This builds up pressure inside your nasal passages, which helps open your Eustachian tubes.
Why It Works:
This technique pushes air up the Eustachian tubes, helping to equalize pressure in your middle ear. This can quickly relieve discomfort, especially if your ears feel blocked or muffled.
How to Do It Effectively:
- Close your mouth and pinch your nostrils shut.
- Gently blow as if you’re trying to exhale through your pinched nose. You should feel some pressure in your ears as the tubes open.
Important: Make sure to do this maneuver gently. Blowing too hard can hurt your eardrums or cause discomfort. The goal is to balance the pressure without forcing a loud “pop.”
When to Use It:
The Valsalva Maneuver is particularly helpful during descent on a flight, as that’s when ear discomfort usually increases. If gentler techniques like yawning or swallowing don’t work, try this method to pop your ears.
3. Chew Gum or Suck on Candy
Chewing gum or sucking on candy during takeoff and landing is a simple and natural way to help open your Eustachian tubes. When you chew, you activate muscles around these tubes, keeping them open and helping them respond to pressure changes.
Why It Works:
Swallowing frequently uses muscles that affect the Eustachian tubes, helping them open more often. Moving your jaw also keeps air moving, which can prevent pressure buildup and ease discomfort.
How to Do It Effectively:
- Choose gum or candy that lasts a while, so you keep chewing or sucking for an extended period.
- Strong mint or fruity flavors can stimulate saliva, encouraging you to swallow more often.
- If gum or candy isn’t available, drinking water in small sips can work just as well.
When to Use It:
This method is especially good for children who may find other techniques difficult. Giving them gum or candy during takeoff and landing helps prevent ear pressure without the need for complex maneuvers.
4. Use a Warm Compress
Applying a warm compress over your ears is a soothing way to relieve ear discomfort. The warmth relaxes the muscles around the Eustachian tubes, helping them open. This method works well if you’ve landed and still feel like your ears are blocked, or if you’re feeling pain due to ear congestion.
Why It Works:
The heat from the compress helps relax the muscles supporting the Eustachian tubes, making it easier for trapped air to escape. This can help relieve pressure and is comforting if you’re experiencing pain.
How to Do It Effectively:
- Wet a washcloth with warm (not hot) water. Wring it out until it’s damp but not dripping.
- Hold the warm cloth against your ear for several minutes, letting the warmth gently relax the muscles.
- Reheat the cloth as needed and repeat on both ears if necessary.
When to Use It:
Use a warm compress if your ears still feel blocked after the flight. It’s a good option if other techniques, like yawning or swallowing, haven’t worked. The warmth can provide extra comfort and relief when ear pressure lingers.
5. Toynbee Maneuver
The Toynbee Maneuver is a simple method that combines swallowing with nose pinching. It’s a gentle way to equalize pressure in your ears. To do it, pinch your nose, take a sip of water, and swallow while keeping your nose pinched. This action can help relieve ear pressure by opening the Eustachian tubes.
Why It Works:
Swallowing with your nose pinched creates a slight vacuum effect. This can help pull the Eustachian tubes open, making it easier for air to flow. This maneuver is often useful if the Valsalva Maneuver hasn’t helped, or if you’re looking for a more gentle option.
How to Do It Effectively:
- Pinch your nose and take a small sip of water.
- Swallow while keeping your nose pinched. This should help release pressure in the ears.
- If needed, repeat the maneuver a few times until you feel the pressure ease.
When to Use It:
The Toynbee Maneuver is ideal if you feel mild discomfort or a muffled sensation in your ears. It’s a gentler option than other methods, especially if you’re dealing with only slight ear pressure.
6. Olive Oil or Hydrogen Peroxide
Olive Oil
Olive oil is sometimes used as a home remedy to soften earwax. If you have earwax buildup, adding a few drops of warm (not hot) olive oil may help. This softens the wax, making it easier for your ear to naturally push it out. To try it, gently tilt your head and add 2-3 drops into the ear canal. Wait about 5-10 minutes, then tilt your head the other way to let the oil and wax drain out. However, if you feel discomfort or have ongoing blockage, it’s better to see a healthcare provider for safe wax removal.
For ear infections, though, olive oil is not a proven treatment. While it can sometimes provide mild relief by reducing dryness, it does not kill bacteria or treat infections. If you think you have an ear infection, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider. Over-the-counter ear drops or prescribed antibiotics may be needed for bacterial infections.
In short, olive oil may help with wax buildup but isn’t suitable for infections. Always consult a healthcare provider if you have ear pain, blockage, or think you may have an infection.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide can help clean ears by softening earwax. When it touches earwax, it starts to bubble. This bubbling can loosen and break up the wax, making it easier to remove. To use hydrogen peroxide, first dilute 3% hydrogen peroxide with an equal amount of water.
Tilt your head to one side. Place 2-3 drops in the ear using a clean dropper. Keep your head tilted for a few minutes so the solution can work. Then, tilt your head the other way to let the liquid and wax drain out. You can rinse the ear with warm water to clear away any leftover wax.
However, this method isn’t for everyone. Avoid hydrogen peroxide if you have an ear infection, ear tubes, or a damaged eardrum. It might irritate or worsen these conditions. Always check with a healthcare provider before using hydrogen peroxide, especially if you have pain or a blockage that doesn’t go away.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several ways to relieve ear pressure, especially when flying. Simple actions like yawning and swallowing can help balance the pressure quickly. If these don’t work, you can try techniques like the Valsalva or Toynbee Maneuvers. Chewing gum or sucking on candy can also help by keeping the Eustachian tubes open. For longer-lasting discomfort, applying a warm compress can provide soothing relief.
For earwax buildup, olive oil and hydrogen peroxide can help soften the wax, but they should not be used to treat infections. If you have ongoing pain or think you have an ear infection, always check with a healthcare provider.
FAQs
Q1: What causes ear pain after flying?
Ear pain after flying is usually due to pressure changes during takeoff and landing. When the air pressure inside the middle ear doesn’t equalize with the pressure outside, it can cause discomfort or pain. This pressure difference affects the Eustachian tubes, which help regulate ear pressure.
Q2: How can I relieve ear pain after flying?
- Yawning and swallowing: These actions open the Eustachian tubes and help balance pressure.
- Valsalva Maneuver: Close your mouth, pinch your nostrils, and gently blow to push air into the Eustachian tubes.
- Chewing gum or sucking on candy: These encourage frequent swallowing, helping open the tubes.
- Warm compress: Applying a warm cloth to the ear can relax muscles around the Eustachian tubes.
Q3: Can a cold make ear pain worse after flying?
Yes, a cold can make ear pain worse as it causes inflammation in the nasal passages and Eustachian tubes, which can block airflow and make pressure equalization harder. Use decongestants or nasal sprays before flying, but consult a healthcare provider for advice.
Q4: When should I see a doctor for ear pain after flying?
If ear pain persists for more than a few hours or if you experience symptoms like severe pain, drainage, or hearing loss, it is important to see a healthcare provider. This could be a sign of an ear infection or more serious condition.