How to prevent ear pain when flying

A lot of people, especially those who live a very busy and modern life, fly quite a lot. A fair number of these people experience a certain problem almost every time when they fly and that is ear pain. People who suffer from such problems look for various ways to prevent that from happening the next time they are on a plane.

Air hostesses have the problem of dealing with passengers who suffer from ear pain on almost every flight. The pain usually occurs at some point during the flight but it can occur right after takeoff. Takeoff and landing as well are particularly troublesome for air hostesses. The reason why that happens so is because in these two situations the pressure in the cabin changes and that is the reason why people experience ear popping. In most cases the passenger may experience temporary hearing loss or the pain in the ear that might become acute when flying. A lot of people know this condition as aerotitus and according to certain researches almost 33% of all air travelers suffer from it. In cases when a person is suffering from an ear infection or sinus infection and the Eustachian tubes are clogged, he or she may experience an even severe ear pain when flying. This tube leads from the middle ear and opens in the throat. The air pressure in the middle ear depends a lot on the Eustachian tube. In some cases the tube is blocked or is smaller or even inelastic and in those situations it cannot deal with the constant change of air pressure inside the airplane.

These situations are when the plane lands or takes off. A person will know that there is something wrong with his or her Eustachian tube if he or she experiences a lot of pain during the flight.

How to prevent ear pain when flying

A person will experience instant relief if he or she allows the air to rush in or out of the middle ear. The best way to achieve that is by allowing the Eustachian tube to remain clear and working.

A person should postpone the flight if he or she suffers from sinus or ear infection and allergies. If a person is unable to postpone the flight he or she can ingest a decongestant and that will bring pain relief when the person is in the air. A decongestant nasal spray can be used right before the plane takes off. Chewing a gum during the whole time of flight should keep the tube open. Ear plugs are also an excellent option. Sucking on sweets helps as well because swallowing moments of the throat help in maintaining the tube open. A person should avoid sleeping.