Ask Well
Sometimes my ears hurt during
flights. Why does this happen, and what can I do about it?
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When you fly thousands of feet
above ground, the changes in cabin pressure can be downright unpleasant,
causing potential issues like abdominal bloating, headaches and yes, earaches.
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"Airplane ear" is an
umbrella term for a variety of symptoms caused by rapid changes in altitude and
air pressure, said Dr. David Gudis, an otolaryngologist at New York Presbyterian
Columbia. For some people, the condition may, cause intense pain and even
damage the ear drum.
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"The good news is that it
generally resolves on its own," Dr. Gudis said. "It can just be very
uncomfortable until it does." This can take anywhere from seconds to days,
he added.
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In the space behind your eardrum,
or the middle ear, is a structure called the Eustachian tube, which connects
the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat. The Eustachian tube is
responsible for keeping the air pressure between the middle ear and the
environment the same.
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Keeping air pressure balanced is
"something we don't normally have to think about," said Dr. Esther X.
Vivas, a professor of otolaryngology at the Emory University School of Medicine
in Atlanta. We can usually do it by yawning or swallowing, which contracts
muscles that open the Eustachian tube, experts said.
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But when the air pressure changes
quickly during a flight, it can be hard for the Eustachian tube to "keep
up," Dr. Gudis said. This can make us feel that we need to yawn or
"pop our ears" to force the tube open, said Dr. Gregory Levitin, an
otolaryngologist at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City
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If air can't pass through the
Eustachian tube, the air pressure inside your ears won't be the same as the air
pressure around you, Dr. Levitin said.
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The unequal pressure can stretch
the ear drum and cause pain, experts said. It can also stifle hearing by
preventing the ear drum from properly responding to sound waves.
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There are several explanations
experts said, but the most cornmon culprit is having upper respiratory
congestion before you fly.
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The middle ear and Eustachian
tube have a mucous lining that traps and protects against harmful bacteria. But
when you're congested from something like a cold, allergies or a sinus
infection the lining may swell, which can clog the tube, said Dr. Howard W.
Francis, a professor of otolaryngology at the Duke University School of
Medicine.
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Flying with an ear infection car
also increase your chances of experiencing rare yet severe and painful symptoms
of airplane ear such as a ruptured ear drum, Dr. Francis said. If you have an
ear ?infection and you're scheduled to
fly, consider changing your travel plans if possible, Dr. Francis said.
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Airplane ear usually goes away
once air can pass through the Eustachian tube - which can happen within
seconds, minutes, hours or a few days of when your symptoms start, experts
said.
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The quickest way to deal with it
is to "pop your ears," Dr. Vivas said. Try forcing yourself to yawn,
or chew gum or sip water to get yourself to swallow.
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If that doesn't work, Dr. Gudis
said, try the Valsalva maneuver, a breathing technique that involves closing
your mouth and pinching your nose while gently exhaling.
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Any symptoms that last for weeks,
are extremely uncomfortable or that happen every time you fly should prompt a
visit to an ear, nose and throat doctor, Dr. Gudis said.
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Katie Mogg
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