Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop dropping acid

October 23, 2007 8:43 AM

After an awful flight from Denver to Seattle last night, my ears still feel plugged. Any suggestions on how to get them to pop?

I had the usual "plugged" feeling on the flight, but as we were coming in for a landing it got to the point where my left ear really, really hurt. I've never felt pain from pressurization before. Eventually the pain ended and there was a partial pop, but...

I have tried swallowing. Tried the yawn, tried pinching my nose & closing my mouth and such. All to no avail.

Any suggestions? Must I wallow in this pain and misery???

(Oh, and as an aside, I had a terrible time with both US Airways and Frontier...)

posted by scaryblackdeath to health (20 comments total)

You might have an ear infection.

Try doing anything that involves inhalation of steam, like a long hot shower or some nice cups of tea.
posted by grouse at 8:45 AM on October 23, 2007

As one who can certainly empathise (but who doesn't fly that often) I suggest trying to stick your lower jaw forward as far as you can a number of times.

Works better for me than any of the methods the OP mentioned.
posted by puffmoike at 8:49 AM on October 23, 2007

Try some over the counter nasal spray. I hate the stuff but it does work.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 8:58 AM on October 23, 2007

Be forewarned that nasal spray decongestants can cause rebound congestion. The cure could be worse than the disease.
posted by grouse at 9:07 AM on October 23, 2007

Ditto the nasal spray. I prefer the 4- or 6-hour stuff rather than 12 or 24, but it's hard to find.

Avoid putting heat on your ears/head, because you do not want to increase swelling or expand any trapped air. Ice packs behind your ear, or underneath extending to the lymph node in your throat will reduce swelling and allow drainage. Wrap the ice pack well in a towel or pillowcase - aim for cool, not cold - and don't cover your ear with them. You can steam your face and drink warm liquids if that promotes sinus drainage for you (I like hot soup or gumbo with a few dashes of Tabasco or Louisiana hot sauce for stuffy ears), but don't heat up the ear area.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:11 AM on October 23, 2007

Note: The 4/6 hour nasal spray recommendation is meant to be used once every 12 or more hours. Too much decongestant is bad, and I think oral decongestants don't help ears much. Expectorant, though, especially time-release Mucinex or store brand, will help. Also anti-inflammatories, if you can take them. Ibuprofen or naproxen, not acetaminophen.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:13 AM on October 23, 2007

Take some benadryl or claritin.
posted by Doohickie at 9:16 AM on October 23, 2007

When you pinched your nose and closed your mouth, did you blow and pressurize your head? That trick has saved me three times now.
posted by cmiller at 9:21 AM on October 23, 2007

this may be counterintuitive, but I (used to) fly A LOT and I've had plenty of plugged-ear troubles, and I've come to realize that the thing that has consistently helped the most was taking a long steam bath. Saunas don't help as much, steam baths really almost always fixed the problem, I cannot tell you how or why. it's worth a try
posted by matteo at 9:34 AM on October 23, 2007

Not to be an alarmist, but are you sure it's plugged? That's how I remember it when my ear drum burst on a flight. If you don't feel the pain lessen substantially, see your doctor.

BTW, Don't panic. A perforated ear drum normally heals on it's own within a few weeks.
posted by 26.2 at 9:35 AM on October 23, 2007 [1 favorite]

What cmiller said. Hold your nose, close your mouth and blow hard until they pop, works almost every time. I get extreme ear pain when flying and there is nothing much you can do, other than chew chewing gum which gives mild relief.
posted by fire&wings at 9:39 AM on October 23, 2007

As a frequent flyer who has had a double ear infection after flying with a bad head cold, I am sympathetic. What works for me: Mucinex-D (it has the decongestant, which can reduce the swelling in the eustachian tube that causes the "unpopped" feeling and dries up all the fluids in your head. caution: drink lots of water). I then take a hot bath followed by the ice pack method mentioned by Lyn Never. I've also had some luck with nasal decongestants, but I get the ones meant for babies that come as drops, tilt my head back, and drop 'em in - you have to angle your head so that the stuff hits your eustachian tubes.

What cmiller and fire&wings are mentioning is called the valsalva maneuver and also helps to relieve the pressure.
posted by bedhead at 9:43 AM on October 23, 2007

Seconding the suggestion for Benadryl. When we were taking diving lessons years ago, our instructor suggested using benadryl for those among us who had trouble clearing our ears at depth. Seemed to work pretty well.
posted by jquinby at 10:00 AM on October 23, 2007

Sniff some eucalyptus oil. Small plane pilots carry it for that purpose since planes have crashed due to pilots being blinded by pain when their ear drums exploded. In a more severe case get medical help, I was given a pill (don't know what it was) that worked right away.
posted by StickyCarpet at 10:01 AM on October 23, 2007

This might sound crazy, but you're at what, sea level now, compared to not being before? You could have a light squeeze that's being exacerbated by allergies or polyps or whatever. I'd try to repressurize by going someplace of higher elevation (like a trip to the Space Needle, maybe), go outside, and see if that pops your ears. Then, upon your descent, I'd do the valsalva that bedhead references, frequently on my way down (when I dive, I do it upon descent almost constantly).
posted by mckenney at 10:28 AM on October 23, 2007

Benadryl is an antihistamine, not a decongestant. For opening up your nasal passages I would look toward a decongestant, not an antihistamine. Antihistamines just suppress allergic reactions. Other than the spray decongestants, something like pseudoephedrine is your only option, other than eucalyptus oil, steam etc.
posted by caddis at 10:32 AM on October 23, 2007

Gah, caddis is right. I wrote 'benadryl' but was thinking of sudafed.
posted by jquinby at 10:35 AM on October 23, 2007

I have also used ear drops - I think they're meant for removing wax. When you tip your head back upright, a great rush of warm fluid runs out in a gorgeous, shivery eustachian tube orgasm.

Brrr.
posted by AngerBoy at 10:39 AM on October 23, 2007

Flush out your sinuses with a Neti pot and your ear canals with Murine.

Sometimes, though, you just have to wait a day.
posted by kittyprecious at 10:40 AM on October 23, 2007

Hot spicy food? This always makes my nose run. It may help your problem and can't hurt.
posted by andreap at 3:37 PM on October 23, 2007