Severe ear pain when flying
Discussion
I'm going to Egypt (hooray!) in three weeks but am already dreading the flight - my ears are apparently rubbish at equalising the pressure which makes flying agony. Swallowing/yawning etc does not even touch it - tried ear planes but they are no help either. Has anybody else had any experience of this? I'm wondering whether to visit the gp before I go because it really makes holidays no fun - I will be in pain and practically deaf for at least 3 days after flying.
Thanks Whitechief - I'll visit the pharmacist instead of the GP!
Hi Shoggoth1 - yes I do that, but I have to do it every 30 seconds and the pain is still there so not an ideal solution!
Apparently it doesn't help that I had several bad ear infections when I was a child/teen which caused scarring on the ear drums. That and my tubes that connect might be narrower than average.
Hi Shoggoth1 - yes I do that, but I have to do it every 30 seconds and the pain is still there so not an ideal solution!
Apparently it doesn't help that I had several bad ear infections when I was a child/teen which caused scarring on the ear drums. That and my tubes that connect might be narrower than average.
[reads thread with interest]
I feel your pain, literally, as I get the exact same thing. Sadly the usual advice just does not come close as the pain is mostly unbearable and leaves me with headaches for days after. It's a nightmare for the wife as she loves going away but I hate it.
From what I understand it's either the rate of change in pressure or altitude that affects the ears. I'm not sure if you've found this but flying to Paris or any other flight that has a short duration is ok due to the lower flight altitude (and thus change in pressure). The rate of change also has an effect and flying to New York is generally fine for me as large aircraft usually descend extremely gradually (hence giving your tubes a chance to adapt to the pressure change). Not all long haul flights descend gradually though so can be hit/miss.
Probably the most effective thing I've done (albeit completely riduculous looking) is to use two plastic cups and to hold them over your ears (reasonably tightly). A hostess gave me this one to try and it works a treat for me. From what I can gather the cups create a void of air that acts as a buffer.
Other than that I've not found anything else that works other than the cups and/or select destinations that I know don't give me any problems!
I feel your pain, literally, as I get the exact same thing. Sadly the usual advice just does not come close as the pain is mostly unbearable and leaves me with headaches for days after. It's a nightmare for the wife as she loves going away but I hate it.
From what I understand it's either the rate of change in pressure or altitude that affects the ears. I'm not sure if you've found this but flying to Paris or any other flight that has a short duration is ok due to the lower flight altitude (and thus change in pressure). The rate of change also has an effect and flying to New York is generally fine for me as large aircraft usually descend extremely gradually (hence giving your tubes a chance to adapt to the pressure change). Not all long haul flights descend gradually though so can be hit/miss.
Probably the most effective thing I've done (albeit completely riduculous looking) is to use two plastic cups and to hold them over your ears (reasonably tightly). A hostess gave me this one to try and it works a treat for me. From what I can gather the cups create a void of air that acts as a buffer.
Other than that I've not found anything else that works other than the cups and/or select destinations that I know don't give me any problems!
I fly internationally every month, have done for years, and very occasionally I have had this same ear trouble. I've found so far that holding the nose and blowing hard and long, pressurising your whole head (or so it feels) then sniffing in hard and long, will usually unblock the Eustachian tubes. You can hear and feel a sort of crackling noise in the ear as it unblocks.
Thanks for all the advice and help - looks like I have an action plan now!
I take antihistamines for 24 hours before hand thanks to Whitechief. Then I take Google [bot]'s sudafed before I fly, board the plane and ask for two plastic cups Fatman2 style, and hold these over my ears while munching boiled sweets a la grumbledoak!
Might visit the doc anyway as goldblum says, as its not just flying that hurts my ears, they are ridiculously sensitive to cold/wind too and when I get a cold or similar my hearing goes muffly and they crack and pop like a good'un.
Sorted!
Ps - Fatman2, I did actually find that flying to Vancouver was better than the short hop to Lanzarote last year - interesting! Perhaps some of the advice on here will help you too.
I take antihistamines for 24 hours before hand thanks to Whitechief. Then I take Google [bot]'s sudafed before I fly, board the plane and ask for two plastic cups Fatman2 style, and hold these over my ears while munching boiled sweets a la grumbledoak!
Might visit the doc anyway as goldblum says, as its not just flying that hurts my ears, they are ridiculously sensitive to cold/wind too and when I get a cold or similar my hearing goes muffly and they crack and pop like a good'un.
Sorted!
Ps - Fatman2, I did actually find that flying to Vancouver was better than the short hop to Lanzarote last year - interesting! Perhaps some of the advice on here will help you too.
Georgiegirl said:
Ps - Fatman2, I did actually find that flying to Vancouver was better than the short hop to Lanzarote last year - interesting! Perhaps some of the advice on here will help you too.
I hope so. I never heard about the Sudafed thing so many thanks to those that have suggested it.Hope your trip goes ok
You might have inner ear infections? I had one before, and there is no pain, no indication, except my hearing felt a touch muffled, just not quite right.
I went to the docs and he could see the ear drum was a paler colour than it is supposed to be. Antibiotics cured it, but it took two-three weeks before the muffled sensation went away. The doc had told me it would take a while to clear the much inside.
I went to the docs and he could see the ear drum was a paler colour than it is supposed to be. Antibiotics cured it, but it took two-three weeks before the muffled sensation went away. The doc had told me it would take a while to clear the much inside.
I will not be chopping ears off I need them to hook my glasses on 
Oooh karvol! I remember that, I used to have it on my Dads hanky when I was little and poorly. Smells amazing, I love it.
KingHerald I don't think it's an infection (had them before and they are awful) more the fact that I generally just have crap ears. And a crap nose. Hmm, starting to see a pattern here - maybe I should just snort some bleach and give everything a good rinse through!
Oooh karvol! I remember that, I used to have it on my Dads hanky when I was little and poorly. Smells amazing, I love it.
KingHerald I don't think it's an infection (had them before and they are awful) more the fact that I generally just have crap ears. And a crap nose. Hmm, starting to see a pattern here - maybe I should just snort some bleach and give everything a good rinse through!
King Herald said:
You might have inner ear infections? I had one before, and there is no pain, no indication, except my hearing felt a touch muffled, just not quite right.
I went to the docs and he could see the ear drum was a paler colour than it is supposed to be. Antibiotics cured it, but it took two-three weeks before the muffled sensation went away. The doc had told me it would take a while to clear the much inside.
This.I went to the docs and he could see the ear drum was a paler colour than it is supposed to be. Antibiotics cured it, but it took two-three weeks before the muffled sensation went away. The doc had told me it would take a while to clear the much inside.
If you've had problems then best get things checked out, maybe even try a different doctor. I went to the docs a few times due to a slightly blocked right ear, each time I was told to use drops or various other things to clear it. Moved to another doctor, first time he looked he knew and referred me to the specialist. Luckily I have private cover so it happened straight away. It was a Cholesteatoma, not nice when you know what it is. Luckily for me (as I travel for business on planes weekly) there was no 'flight pain'. 2 operations later, a now a grommit put in yesterday to help drain fluid (just like a kid with what they call glue ear).. The specialist was a genius, rebuilding the inner ear bones/titanium inserts and stuff. Clevertastic.
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