- 1. Valsalva method
- 2. Use nasal spray
- 3. Chew
- 4. Yawn
- 5. Hot compress
- What to do when traveling with babies
- What to do when the pain doesn't go away
An excellent strategy to combat or avoid ear pain on the plane is to plug your nose and put a little pressure on your head, forcing your breath. This helps to balance the pressure inside and outside the body, combining the bad feeling.
The pain in the ear when flying in a plane arises due to the sudden change in pressure that occurs when the aircraft takes off or lands, which can also cause other discomfort such as headache, nose, teeth and stomach, and intestinal discomfort. See Home Remedies to relieve ear pain.
So, here are 5 tips to avoid ear pain:
1. Valsalva method
This is the main maneuver to be done to relieve pain, as it helps to balance the internal pressure of the ear again according to the pressure of the external environment.
To use this method, you must inhale, close your mouth and pinch your nose with your fingers and force the air out, feeling pressure in the back of your throat. However, care must be taken not to apply too much pressure when forcing the air out with the nose plugged, as it can make the pain worse.
2. Use nasal spray
The nasal spray helps to release the passage of air between the sinuses and the ear, facilitating the rebalancing of internal pressure and avoiding pain.
To have this benefit, you should use the spray half an hour before the flight takes off or landing, according to the moment that causes the most discomfort.
3. Chew
Chewing gum or chewing some food also helps to balance the pressure in the ear and prevent pain, as in addition to forcing the movement of the facial muscles, they also stimulate swallowing, which helps to free the ear from the feeling of being plugged.
4. Yawn
Yawning purposefully helps to move the bones and muscles of the face, releasing the eustachian tube and favoring pressure regulation.
In children, this technique should be done by encouraging the little ones to make faces and imitate animals such as lions and bears, which open their mouth wide during the roar.
5. Hot compress
Putting a warm compress or wipes on the ear for about 10 minutes helps to relieve pain, and this procedure can be done on the plane by asking the crew on board for a cup of hot water and tissues. As this problem is common among travelers, they will not be surprised by the request and will help to alleviate the discomfort of the passenger.
In addition, one should avoid sleeping during takeoff or the landing of the flight is important to avoid earaches because, when sleeping, the process of adapting to pressure changes is slower and uncontrolled, making the passenger normally wake up with pain in the ear.
What to do when traveling with babies
Babies and toddlers are unable to collaborate to use the maneuvers that combine ear pain, which is why it is common to hear them cry at the beginning and end of flights.
To help, parents should use strategies such as not letting babies fall asleep at the time of takeoff or landing and giving the baby a bottle or other food at these times, remembering to avoid lying down to avoid choking and more ear clogging. See more tips to help your baby here.
What to do when the pain doesn't go away
These strategies must be used again and again, until the ear again finds the pressure balance and the pain passes. However, in some people the pain persists, especially in cases of nasal problems that prevent the proper circulation of air in the body, such as colds, flu and sinusitis.
In these cases, the doctor should be consulted before the trip so that he can prescribe drugs that clear the nose and relieve the discomfort felt during the flight.
To be more relaxed, see also how to relieve nausea on travel.
