How do I prevent my ears from bursting when flying?

Prevention
  1. Yawn and swallow during ascent and descent. ...
  2. Use the Valsalva maneuver during ascent and descent. ...
  3. Don't sleep during takeoffs and landings. ...
  4. Reconsider travel plans. ...
  5. Use an over-the-counter nasal spray. ...
  6. Use decongestant pills cautiously. ...
  7. Take allergy medication. ...
  8. Try filtered earplugs.




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Prevention
  1. Yawn and swallow during ascent and descent. ...
  2. Use the Valsalva maneuver during ascent and descent. ...
  3. Don't sleep during takeoffs and landings. ...
  4. Reconsider travel plans. ...
  5. Use an over-the-counter nasal spray. ...
  6. Use decongestant pills cautiously. ...
  7. Take allergy medication. ...
  8. Try filtered earplugs.


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They reduce pressure buildup in your ears and can ease your pain as the pilot takes the plane in for a landing. If you plan on travelling off for a sunny vacation this summer and suffer from ear pain on long flights, your hearing solutions experts in Calgary recommend you use airplane earplugs.

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Spray Afrin nasal decongestant spray twice into each nostril one hour prior to flying. Begin taking a decongestant, like Sudafed, one hour before the flight. Both of these medications can be purchased over-the-counter in a drug store.

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Should your ears “plug up” when taking off, hold your nose and swallow. This will help suck excess air pressure out of the middle ear. 45 minutes before the aircraft is due to land again use the nasal spray every five minutes for 15 minutes. Chew gum to stimulate swallowing and opening of the eustachian tube.

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Your doctor might suggest you take:
  • Decongestant nasal sprays.
  • Oral decongestants.


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There are a few things you can keep at home or in your flight bag to help fix your sinus pressure and ear block: Decongestants: Over the counter medications like non-drowsy mucinex will help clear inflammation and mucus from your sinuses, giving your body a better chance of handling pressure changes.

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Sudafed 30 milligrams one hour before the plane lands If flying and diving is a chronic problem, start a nasal steroid (Flonase, Nasonex, Nasacort) for 2 weeks prior to your trip/dive. Pop your ears early and often. For flying, try to pop your ears as the plane descends.

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Chewing is another practice that helps pilots to relieve ear popping. Just like yawning or swallowing liquids, chewing also stretches areas around the ears, equalizing the pressure inside the ear.

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Treat congestion before your trip
If you're congested from allergies or an upper respiratory infection, it's important to do what you can to resolve the congestion before you fly. Common treatments for congestion include antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal steroid sprays.

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Alpine FlyFit filters are designed to regulate this pressure like a valve, so your ears can adapt! No more pain when taking off or landing in an airplane. A must-have for everybody who experiences pain while flying.

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Antihistamines such as Dramamine (Tm) can also be taken before getting on the airplane may help manage pressure fluctuations by keeping the Eustachian tube open. There are many other antihistamines (such as meclizine) that can also be used in this situation.

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Sit away from the engine.
Seats in the front rows are farthest away from the engine and therefore better for your hearing. However, if you have to sit farther back in the plane, choose an aisle seat as they are several decibels quieter than window seats.

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Do what you can to avoid “airplane ear”
  1. Swallowing. Swallowing opens the Eustachian tubes. ...
  2. Yawning. Yawning also opens the Eustachian tubes and is actually more effective than chewing gum.
  3. Staying awake. You don't swallow as often when you're asleep, so be sure to stay awake during takeoff and landing.
  4. Using decongestants.


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Some people experience ear pain when flying in a plane. Usually this happens as the plane descends to land. The pain may get worse the lower the plane gets and can be quite severe on landing. The pain usually goes away soon after landing.

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