Ears, Altitude, and Airplane Travel

indiamike

This article below is reprinted freely from the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Inc.,One Prince Street, Alexandria VA 22314-3357

I am only reprinting this because it serves some useful advice for those like myself who suffer with pressure in airplanes. A usual flight for me is considered hell and the pressurization makes my head feel like it's going to explode. Eventually my ears just pop and the resulting effect is a sinus infection for the next few weeks. Sinus infections feel like the flu except in the head.



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Have you ever wondered why your ears pop when you fly on an airplane? Or why, when they fail to pop, you get an earache? Have you ever wondered why the babies on an airplane fuss and cry so much during descent?


Ear problems are the most common medical complaint of airplane travelers, and while they are usually simple, minor annoyances, they occasionally result in temporary pain and hearing loss. This pamphlet is provided as a public service to help you understand the reasons for occasional ear problems during air travel, how to avoid them and how to care for them.




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The ear is divided into three parts:
1. The outer ear, meaning the part of the ear you can see on the side of the head plus the ear canal leading down to the ear drum.

2. The middle ear, meaning the ear drum, ear bones (ossicles) and the air spaces behind the ear drum and in the mastoid cavities.


3. The inner ear, meaning where the nerve endings are, for the organs of hearing and balance (equilibrium).


It is the middle ear that causes discomfort during air travel, and this is so because it is an air pocket inside the head that is vulnerable to changes in air pressure.


Normally, each time (or each 2nd or 3rd time) you swallow, your ears make a little click or popping sound. This is the moment that a small bubble of air enters your middle ear, up from the back of your nose. It passes through the Eustachian tube, a membrane lined tube about the size of a pencil lead which connects the back of the nose with the middle ear. The air in the middle ear is constantly being absorbed by its membranous lining, but it is frequently re-supplied through the Eustachian tube during the process of swallowing. In this manner air pressure on both sides of the eardrum stays about equal. If, and when, the air pressure is not equal, the ear feels blocked.




What causes blocked ears and Eustachian tubes?

The Eustachian tube can be blocked, or obstructed, for a variety of reasons. When that occurs, no air can be replenished into the middle ear. The air already there absorbs and a vacuum occurs, sucking the eardrum inward. Such an eardrum can- not vibrate naturally, so hearing sounds muffled or blocked. Also, the stretching of the eardrum can be painful. If the tube remains blocked for a period of time, fluid (like blood serum) will seep into the ear from the membranes in an attempt to fill up the ear to overcome the vacuum. This is called "fluid in the ear," serous otitis or baro-otitis.


The most common cause for a blocked Eustachian tube is the common "cold." Sinus infections and nasal allergies (hay fever, etc.) are also frequently causes. This is because the membranes that line the Eustachian tube are similar to and continuous with nasal membranes. Consequently, a stuffy nose leads to stuffy ears because the swollen membranes block the opening of the Eustachian tube.


Another cause of blocked Eustachian tubes is infection of the middle ear which creates swollen membranes. In addition, some people have narrow Eustachian tubes resulting from childhood ear infections. Most children's tubes are narrow, just because they have not grown to the adult size.




How can air travel cause problems?
Air travel is sometimes associated with rapid changes in air pressure. To maintain comfort, the Eustachian tube must function properly, that is, open frequently and widely enough to equalize the changes in pressure. This is especially true when the airplane is coming down for a landing, going from low atmospheric pressure down closer to earth where the air pressure is higher. This causes a vacuum to form in the middle ear even faster than normal.


In the early days of airplanes with open cabins and cockpits, this was a major problem to flyers. Today's aircraft are pressurized so that air pressure changes are minimized. Even so, some changes in pressure are unavoidable, even in the best and most modern airplanes.


Actually, any situation in which rapid altitude or pressure changes occur creates the problem. You may have experienced it when riding in elevators of tall buildings or when diving to the bottom of a swimming pool. Deep sea divers are taught how to equalize their ear pressures; so are pilots. You can learn the tricks too.




How do you unblock your ears?
The act of swallowing activates the muscle that opens the Eustachian tube. You swallow more often when you chew gum or let mints melt in your mouth. These are good practices, especially just before and during descent. Yawning is even better. It is a stronger activator of that muscle. Be sure to avoid sleeping during descent, because you may not be swallowing often enough to keep up with the pressure changes. (The flight attendant will be happy to awaken you just before descent.)

If yawning and swallowing are not effective, the most forceful way to unblock your ears is as follows:

(1) Pinch your nostrils shut.

(2) Take a mouthful of air.

(3) Using your cheek and throat muscles, force the air into the back of your nose as if you were trying to blow your thumb and fingers off your nostrils. When you hear a loud pop in your ears, you have succeeded. You may have to repeat this several times during descent.


Babies cannot intentionally pop their ears, but may do so if they are sucking on a bottle or pacifier. Feed your baby, and do not allow him to sleep during descent.




What precautions should you take?
When inflating your ears, you should not use force from your chest (lungs) or abdomen (diaphragm) which can create pressures that are too high. The proper technique involves only pressure created by your cheek and throat muscles.



What about decongestants and nose sprays?
Many experienced air travelers use a decongestant pill or nasal spray an hour or so before descent. That will shrink the membranes and make the ears pop more easily. Travelers with allergy problems should take their antihistamine tablets at the beginning of the flight for the same reason. Decongestant tablets and sprays can be purchased at drugstores without a prescription. However, they should be avoided by persons with heart disease, high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, thyroid disease or excessive nervousness. Such persons should consult their physicians before using such medicines. Pregnant women should like- wise consult their physicians first.


What to do if your ears will not unblock
Even after landing you can continue the pressure equalizing techniques, and you may find the decongestants and nose sprays to be helpful. (However, avoid making a habit of nose sprays. After a few days they may cause more congestion than they relieve.) If your ears fail to open, or if pain persists, you will need to seek the help of a physician who has experience in the care of ear disorders.

LuAnnandJawahar

Also a simple but amazing device is available in the US and probably elsewhere we'd guess. The brand is Earplanes. They are basically ear plugs but they have a tiny hollow ceramic tube in them that somehow keeps the air pressure equalized in your ears. You can reuse them I think for up to four flights. Regular earplugs to muffle sounds do not at all work in the same way as this product.

The best remedy for jet lag is also the best remedy for keeping your ears clear: drink drink drink drink water water water water.

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bolebridge

Thanks - a very interesting read!

vistet

.. or chew gum ( but a really hardcore India traveller would go for pan)

Ja~martini34

interesting guys!

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edwardseco

I have used earplanes to good effect. They are expensive because you can't really reuse them. The relief is good..

iwanttogoback

i find that having some sweet to suck on quite vigorously works as my ears, too, hate flying.
can vouch for the bottle in the babies mouth, works an absolute treat.
thanks mike - getting ready for the next trip?

tornado989

drinking lotsa coke helps me!! ; )

mira4bai4

Something that I use each time that I fly is Homoeopathic WELADA brand Berberis/Prunus Sinus Drops for hayfever and sinusitis, an oral liquid 30 mls.

Contains equal parts of Berberis fruit 3x, Prunus spinosa herb 3x, Quartz 20x in water/ethanol base.

I take about 10 drops about 30 minutes before landing and another 10 drops 15 minutes later and my sinuses are all clear and open, no ear pains, not sinus headaches, great stuff.

jyotirmoy

Very very good post now I know what goes on when the landing process starts. Knowing all about it will surely help us to cope with this irritating feeling & about sinus I got completely cured by homeopathic medication.
Thanks a lot Mike,
Regards.

ruthie808

hello there, thanks for that info, i regularly get awful problems with my ears too when flying.
after a long flight a couple years ago, i had blocked ears for a day or so after, as the pain had passed i went scuba diving shortly afterwards, it wasnt a good idea as my ears wouldnt equalise underwater it was too painful so i didnt finish the dive. a couple of days later i went to the doctor who told me i had burst an eardrum the pain was awful. a course of antibiotics and no more swimming (with my head under water...) for a week.
lately ive found that a bag of popcorn to keep munching on during the descent helps a bit. also sipping water and 'popping' my ears helps too.

Nick-H

The couple of times I've flown on one of the Arab airlines I've had the worst ear problems: quite apart from having to spend hours stopped on the way somewhere, they seem to descend and ascend very steeply from those airports.

Just my imagination? or I was unlucky those two times?

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lonelyaztec

Nice information Indiamike.

I suffer from this problem, whenever i fly.

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divingdog5

i must say the article on ear equlisation is spot on just do it very gently as your ear drum is very delicate like paper so be carefull
diving gives lots of practice in this and it can be learned

the trick is also is to equalise before you feel any pain

hope this helps

also sudofed helps for sure

oneheart

Hi, may i know if the nasal spray is specifically for the air flight? i hav a nasal spray for sinus.. dunno if i can use that?