Why is my ear blocked 1 week after flight?

Air pressure changes when airplanes take off and land. That change happens faster than your eustachian tubes can react. The same thing happens if you do deep-water diving, as water pressure quickly changes. Ear barotrauma can happen more frequently if you have congestion from a cold or allergies.



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Most of the time, the pressure should clear up a few hours after you're back on land, she says. If it lingers longer—into the following day, for example—you might have a buildup of fluid behind your ear that isn't ventilating properly. For that, you'll probably want to see a doctor.

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If discomfort, fullness or muffled hearing lasts more than a few days, or if you have severe signs or symptoms, call your doctor.

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Generally, airplane ear does not pose problems unless there is any structural damage in the middle ear. Rare complications may include permanent hearing loss and chronic tinnitus [6],[7].

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Fluid or mucus sometimes accumulates in the middle ear for a few days after the flight, which may make hearing rather dull for a while. This happens if the Eustachian tube is still blocked, and is more likely if you had a cold before flying.

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If you have severe pain or symptoms associated with airplane ear that don't improve with self-care techniques, talk to your family doctor or a general practitioner. You might then be referred to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.

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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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