What happens to the ears on the plane. Why does the ears stick heavily on the plane during landing, takeoff, there is an acute pain: reasons

Airplanes are the fastest and most convenient way to get to almost anywhere in the world. Air transport is considered the safest and most comfortable, so every year people fly more and more - new directions are opening, and in the meantime, tickets are getting cheaper.

Unfortunately, many people have a variety of problems during flight, associated with sudden changes in altitude. One of the most common is the pinched ears. This condition usually occurs during takeoff or landing, but can persist throughout the flight and even after it.

Congestion can be expressed with varying intensity - some feel a little discomfort, others feel severe, unbearable pain. So what are the reasons for stuffing your ears?

The most obvious and main factor that provokes ear congestion is normal pressure drops. At rest, the pressure in the tympanic cavity of the ear corresponds to atmospheric pressure and does not change. But when the plane begins to gain or lose altitude, atmospheric pressure drops. As a result, such changes provoke changes in the eardrum. One of the sides begins to depress it, as it were, because of this, there is a feeling of stuffy ears or even severe pain. Feels like the ears are tearing from the inside.
Another reason that can affect ear congestion is a common cold. The nasal cavity, which is inflamed and filled with mucus, is closely connected to the ear canal. As a result, edema occurs, which narrows the canal or even closes it. In this case, the ears can be blocked outside the aircraft, but pressure drops further exacerbate this situation. In advanced cases, it can end in failure - hemorrhage or even rupture of the eardrum may occur.
Also, the cause of frequent and severe ear congestion on the plane can be otitis media (even cured), eustachitis and hearing loss. These diseases arise for various reasons and are easily treated by modern medicine, but all of them can increase the effect of atmospheric pressure. People who are sick, or have previously been sick, with something from this list, ears more often and harder than other passengers.

What to do if your ears get stuffy during the flight

The easiest, "popular" way is to simply blow out your ears. This is done in this way - a person inhales deeply, and then, closing his mouth and nose, exhales sharply. During this, it is as if something clicks in the ears - this is the eardrum into place. The procedure can be a little painful.
An easier option that divers often use is to pinch your nose and start swallowing vigorously with your mouth wide open.
Open and close your mouth wide a few times, and ideally just yawn. This is great for solving the problem.
You can try drinking water or any other non-carbonated liquid. This should be done through a tube, in small and frequent sips.
If the ears are blocked due to a runny nose, and there are no vasoconstrictor drops with you, you can do with improvised means. Any plane has water and salt - ask the flight attendant for them and prepare the isotonic solution yourself. After rinsing the nose with it, the discomfort should decrease.
If none of the above helps, try massage your ears. There are no special techniques - just twirl and rub your ears to activate blood circulation. You can also literally stick your little fingers in your ears and twirl them, as if inserting and pulling a plug. In the latter case, it is important not to overdo it and not to stick your fingers especially deeply. This massage helps, even if the ears are very sore.

An important point - if the pain is severe, in any case do not clench your teeth in an attempt to "endure". Opening your mouth will always help reduce swings.

Sometimes it happens that the ears continue to hurt after the plane has landed. Sometimes it may not be about ear congestion at all - if there was already inflammation in the nasopharynx or ear canals, then dry air in an airplane in combination with pressure drops can provoke the development of the disease. If the pain persists after a few hours, see a doctor.

What to do on the plane to keep your ears from getting blocked

Try not to travel if you have a bad cold or sore ears. Sometimes it is impossible to cancel the trip, in which case you need to stock up on any vasoconstrictor drops in advance and drip your nose right before landing. If the cause of the common cold is allergies, take additional antihistamines.
Take lollipops, gum, or other candy with you. Constant swallowing and chewing movements normalize the pressure in the tympanic cavity.
Any pharmacy has special earplugs that are designed to smooth out sudden changes in pressure. These are quite handy devices that make your travel more comfortable in general - you don't have to listen to your neighbors. It is better to buy earplugs not at the airport itself, but at the pharmacy - it will be cheaper and better.
Start preparing even before planting - eat some candies, insert ear plugs.
According to statistics, passengers are more likely to feel discomfort when landing an airplane - during the flight, many fall asleep, and in a dream, their ears become more tight. During landing, people wake up with severe ear pain. To avoid this problem, keep yourself busy during the flight, or simply ask the flight attendant to wake you up.

The question of what to do if your ears are blocked on the plane may seem simple to some. But what about those who first encountered this problem? What do experienced people advise?

Can't hear my ears on the plane

Why does ears clog when flying

During takeoff or landing of an aircraft, there are sudden changes in atmospheric pressure. When it does not coincide with the pressure in the ear, the air in the ear drum presses with great force on the membrane. It can break if the necessary measures are not taken in time.

To balance the pressure, it is usually sufficient to open your mouth wide and swallow. When the lumen of the auditory (Eustachian) tube between the middle ear and the nasopharynx becomes wider, the congestion symptom disappears.

Problems often arise in people with a narrow lumen in the Eustachian tube. This also applies to those who are unlucky at the time of the flight to suffer from inflammation in the ear or a cold. During such periods, there is a risk of blocking the passage of air through the pipe due to accumulating mucus or edema.

Plugged ears on the plane and does not go away: what will help?

If your ear gets heavily blocked during flight, you should try all known methods. One of the following will definitely help:

Yawning, swallowing, chewing: the lollipops, which are usually offered before takeoff or landing, are excellent. The baby should be given a bottle of water or a favorite drink;

Blowing out the nose: close your mouth by holding your nose with your hand and exhale quite forcefully. In this case, laryngeal pressure pierces clogged ears;

Swallowing with a closed nose and mouth: with a closed mouth, pinch the nostrils and swallow saliva;

· Massage of the auricles: twisting them until redness helps with congestion;

· Drugs that constrict blood vessels: drops or sprays will reduce swelling, remove mucus;

· Antiallergenic, if a runny nose is a symptom of allergy;

· Earplugs: special devices to protect the ears from noise and foreign objects will help even with a sharp change in the height of the aircraft. They are inserted directly into the ear canal, which smooths out the feeling of changes in atmospheric pressure.

Air travel certainly saves time and is convenient in every way. But many continue to fear flying. However, this is a psychological problem. We're going to talk about the more tangible: unpleasant sensations during the flight.

Why does your ears stick on the plane?

Usually ears popped during takeoff and landing... This is due to a sharp change in pressure, and not at all with the operation of the engines, as many mistakenly believe. The engines also work during the flight. Ears are blocked for the simple reason that the rate of pressure change during takeoff and landing is so high that the Eustachian tube does not have time to equalize the pressure on both sides of the eardrum.

The Eustachian tube, also known as the auditory tube, is a tubular canal that communicates the middle ear cavity with the nasopharynx. Its main function is to maintain balance between VAP (external atmospheric pressure) and pressure in the tympanic cavity.

As we have already said, the auditory tube communicates with the nasopharynx, and it is in our power to help it equalize the pressure with the most primitive movements, when it cannot cope with it on its own.

What to do to prevent your ears from getting blocked on the plane:

Swallowing movements (this is why lollipops are given on planes, they increase salivation, which is why we swallow more often, and this, in turn, provides air access to the desired part of the middle ear)
Open your mouth during takeoff and landing

If this does not help, then more effective ways are:

Yawn
Jaw movement back and forth, to the sides
Exhaling with closed nose

If you have a runny nose, do not forget to stock up on vasoconstrictor nasal drops.

To prevent the ears from blocking the child

Young children are not always able to explain what needs to be done to keep their ears from getting blocked. And this is understandable, it is generally difficult for a child to understand what stuffed ears are and what sensations await him on the plane. You have probably come across a situation when a child is crying a lot on the plane, and the parents cannot calm him down. Most likely, his ears just got blocked, which is unpleasant and painful. Just give the baby a nipple bottle... So much for the sucking movements along with the swallowing ones - the simplest solution to the problem.

How to avoid discomfort on the plane

Blocked ears are not all the price you have to pay for speed.

Swelling of the legs - manifests itself during long flights. It does not threaten anything terrible if everything is in order with the circulatory system. People with thrombophlebitis and varicose veins are advised to wear compression stockings during the flight and at least occasionally walk around the cabin. The minimum warm-up movements are recommended for everyone, taking off their shoes.

Nausea - most often has a psychological background. Many are afraid to fly, so they are very nervous. First of all, if you're afraid of flying, take a sedative and stop feeling nervous. This will save you a lot of discomfort. To heighten your calmness, you can bring along medications for motion sickness or antiemetic drugs, for example, cerucal. This is especially true if the cause of nausea is not an overstrained nervous system, but problems with the vestibular apparatus or other internal organs.

Headache - is often associated not only with a sharp change in pressure, but also with a monotonous "buzz" and hum of the engine. In this case, you should not endure pain, especially during long flights, after which you will find yourself in a different climatic and / or time zone (desynchrosis). Any headache pill is suitable: citramone, analgin, and paracetamol. You can ask the flight attendants for them.

If you feel bad on the plane, do not be silent about it and do not try to endure. Notify the steward. On board, you will be provided with all possible assistance, and services on the ground are warned in advance, and qualified medical assistance will already be waiting for you at the airport (included in the price of the ticket, upon purchasing which you pay for medical insurance).

Don't be afraid to fly and remember that in addition to ear congestion (not appearing at all), nothing unpleasant awaits you on board. The only exceptions are:

Newborns (up to 7 days old)
Pregnant (over 36 weeks)

People suffering from:

increased intracranial pressure
pneumatorex
severe respiratory diseases
infectious diseases
decompression sickness
sickle cell anemia
mental disorders in the acute stage

People who have recently migrated:

Myocardial infarction or stroke (7-10 days before the flight)
Surgical intervention with the introduction of air into the closed body cavity

Ear congestion signals the presence of a pressure difference between the middle and outer ear cavity, which leads to deformation and stretching of the ear membrane. The sharp drops in atmospheric pressure that occur during air travel are one of the key reasons for the development of aerootite. The disease is characterized by hearing loss and a feeling of congestion in the ears.

If your ears hurt badly when landing an aircraft, this may be one of the signs of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the Eustachian tube, tympanic cavity, ear membrane and paranasal sinuses.

Dysfunction of the auditory tube leads to the formation of a vacuum inside the ear cavity, as a result of which the eardrum is pulled into the ear.

If the difference between atmospheric and internal pressure is very high, the risk of perforation in the ear membrane increases.

Pathogenesis

Why does it stick its ears on the plane? Discomfort occurs due to excess air pressure on the eardrum from the outer or middle ear. In this case, the membrane either protrudes into the external auditory canal, or is drawn into the tympanic cavity. Why is this happening?

The eardrum is an elastic membrane that is waterproof and airtight. It is the border between the outer and middle ear cavity. In the absence of pathologies, the air pressure in the middle ear is equal to atmospheric pressure. If this condition is met, the membrane does not undergo stretching, so the person does not feel discomfort.

During takeoff, the atmospheric pressure drops dramatically, causing the eardrum to bulge outward. The deformation of the membrane is signaled by a sharp decrease in hearing and the occurrence of a feeling of congestion. To equalize the pressure difference during the flight, passengers are advised to drink water or eat candy. In the process of swallowing, the mouth of the Eustachian tube opens, which facilitates the entry of air into the ear cavity.

In the presence of a runny nose and colds, the risk of ear blockages during air travel increases 3 times.

What to do if your ear is blocked after the plane? In the absence of inflammatory processes, the pressure difference is compensated almost immediately. But in the case of narrowing of the inner diameter of the Eustachian tube, the appearance of a constant feeling of stuffiness in the ears is possible. If the discomfort does not go away within 2-3 days, you should seek help from an otolaryngologist.

The reasons

The etiology is based on significant changes in atmospheric pressure. Its decrease leads to protrusion of the ear membrane into the external auditory canal, and its increase leads to absorption into the tympanic cavity. A sudden change in pressure can cause barotrauma, characterized by damage to the ear membrane and auditory ossicles, as well as swelling of the mucous membranes in the middle ear.

If your ears are blocked, like on an airplane, the causes of discomfort may lie in:

runny nose - inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx lead to damage to the mucous membrane of the auditory tube, as a result of which its inner diameter decreases. As a result, the ventilation of the tympanic cavity is disrupted, which inevitably leads to the formation of a vacuum in it;
neoplasms - cholesteatomas and malignant tumors that create barriers to the passage of sound waves, contribute to a feeling of congestion in the ears;
tubo-otitis - catarrhal inflammation in the auditory canal, which leads to dysfunction of the auditory tube and a decrease in pressure in the middle ear cavity;
ear diseases - an infectious lesion of the main parts of the auditory analyzer provokes inflammation of the soft tissues. As a result, the mucous membrane of the tympanic cavity and the Eustachian tube (otitis media), the eardrum (myringitis), or the inner ear (labyrinthitis) are affected.

Large changes in atmospheric pressure can cause fractures in the ossicles.

Types of aerootite

Ear congestion is one of the manifestations of uncomplicated aerotitis. In otolaryngology, it is customary to distinguish 4 main forms of the disease:

the first - hyperemia (redness) of the ear membrane;
the second is a limited hemorrhage in the membrane;
third - perforation of the ear membrane;
the fourth - violations in the chain of the auditory ossicles, associated with their displacement or fracture.

The first form of aerotitis is characterized by catarrhal inflammation in the middle ear. Late diagnosis of the disease can lead to the development of pathogens inside the ear and the occurrence of otorrhea. If your ears are blocked after the plane and the discomfort persists for several days, it is advisable to be examined by an otolaryngologist. Persistent congestion indicates the presence of edema in the tissues of the Eustachian tube and tympanic cavity.

Symptoms

Algia and hearing loss are the main symptoms that signal the presence of deformities in the ear membrane. Typically, congestion occurs during takeoff or landing of an aircraft, which is signaled by a characteristic pop in one or both ears. Often in patients with the development of aerootitis, dizziness and nausea are observed. If the ear membrane is ruptured, the hearing of background sounds and speech is reduced.

Important! When pawing your ears, do not try to unclog the ear canal with a cotton swab. In case of protrusion of the ear membrane, its damage is possible.

If a serous exudate is found in the external auditory canal, you should consult a specialist. Otorrhea is a sign of large perforation holes in the ear membrane. Violation of its integrity greatly increases the likelihood of infection of the middle ear by pathogenic agents. The development of pathogenic flora can lead to the appearance of purulent otitis media, labyrinthitis and mastoiditis.

Methods for eliminating congestion

What to do if your ears get blocked on the plane? It is possible to prevent the development of aerootitis if the pressure on the eardrum is timely equalized. The mouth of the Eustachian tube opens during chewing, drinking, and yawning. That is why the following methods can be used to level the pressure drops inside the ear and in the external environment:

imitation of swallowing movements: tightly pressing the nostrils to the nasal septum, make 4-5 swallowing movements;
chewing gum: chew gum during takeoff and landing;
resorption of lozenges: if a feeling of congestion appears, dissolve the candy until you feel relief;
valsalva blowing: With your mouth closed and your nostrils covered with your hand, try to exhale through your nose.

Important! In the presence of rhinitis, vasoconstrictor drops should be instilled into the nose before flight.

To prevent your child's ears from getting blocked on the plane, give him a bottle of water to drink. During swallowing, the auditory tube opening will open, allowing air to enter the middle ear cavity. If the above methods are performed correctly, a person will hear a characteristic click in the stuffy ear. It signals the restoration of normal pressure and the straightening of the ear membrane.

Significant changes in atmospheric pressure create an additional burden on the body, which is fraught with a deterioration in well-being. This is especially true for persons suffering from cardiovascular diseases. If the ears hurt badly when the plane lands, this may indicate impaired microcirculation of blood in the organ of hearing.

Scientists have proven that during a 1-hour flight, the human body loses about 250 ml of fluid. This leads to an increase in the density of the blood, which is fraught with the formation of blood clots and even a stroke. To reduce the likelihood of complications during air travel, you should adhere to the following rules:

Ear drops overview

Plugged ear after the plane, what to do? To relieve an unpleasant symptom, doctors recommend using ear drops of antiseptic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory action. Effective remedies include:

"Normax" - drops of antibacterial action, relieving inflammation and swelling of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract;
"Otofa" is an antimicrobial drug with a pronounced analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect;
Otinum is an anti-inflammatory drug that inhibits the synthesis of inflammatory mediators;
Otipax is a non-steroidal antiphlogistic agent that eliminates swelling and inflammation in the middle ear and eardrum.

The drugs should only be prescribed by the attending physician. Some of the medicines listed should not be used if the tympanic membrane is perforated.

Many people wonder why their ear was blocked after the plane, what to do in such a situation? Naturally, the presented phenomenon does not cause pain. However, the discomfort is still present.

Eustachitis - at the root of the problem is the development of inflammatory processes in the auditory tube. The appearance of puffiness, as a rule, is a consequence of a late response to colds. However, sinusitis, the formation of polyps in the nasopharynx, can also serve as the cause of the development of eustachitis.
Hearing loss is a neurosensory pathology of the hearing organs, which occurs against the background of destructive processes affecting the auditory nerve. A prerequisite for the development of the disease can be vascular hypertension, cerebral ischemia, head trauma. If your ear is blocked after the plane, what to do? The passage of an audiogram allows to cast aside suspicions of the development of sensorineural hearing loss.
Otitis media is one of the most common reasons why your ears can get blocked on an airplane regularly. Even after successful treatment of the disease, the eardrum contains so-called adhesions that reduce its mobility and prevent it from returning to its anatomically correct position naturally.

Pressure drops

Most passengers have ear congestion during landing and takeoff. The occurrence of the effect is associated with the difference in pressure on board the aircraft and outside. As a result of a sharp climb, conditions change so quickly that the organ of hearing simply cannot cope with the functions assigned to it. Thus, the pressure outside the eardrum and in the inside of the ear does not have time to equalize.

Sulfur plug

The accumulation of an abundance of sulfur in the ear canal can lead to the formation of a so-called plug. The latter often lays down the ears as a result of displacement to one side or the other with pressure drops.

Decreased hearing acuity is a direct sign of ear sulfur clogging. A person may not catch individual words from a conversation. Such people often feel that the interlocutor is talking too quietly. If there is a plug, it is not uncommon for the ears to feel as if they were submerged under water.

What if your ears get blocked on the plane? What to do when the formation of a sulfur plug in the ear canal is to blame? In this case, you should seek help from a doctor, who quickly, however, is much easier to avoid the development of the problem. To do this, it is enough to regularly perform ear hygiene using special ear sticks.

Water in the ear canal

Ears can be put on the plane if, shortly before departure, a person swam in the bathroom, swam in a pond or pool. After such procedures, water can remain in the ear canal, causing a congestion effect during takeoff or landing.

In such a situation, it is recommended to gently use a cotton swab. The latter will absorb all the moisture, and also remove the blockage in the form of swollen sulfur. After completing the procedure, it is worth swallowing several times, opening and closing your mouth, yawning. This will make possible water residues move further into the nasopharynx.

Plugs ears when landing an airplane - what to do?

You can avoid the effect of ear canal congestion by using the following guidelines:

Swallowing movements can help eliminate the problem. It is for this reason that the flight attendants of some airlines offer lollipops to passengers. The latter cause profuse salivation, which forces a person to swallow more often. In turn, these movements provide an abundant flow of air into the middle ear.
Bidding his ears on the plane? What to do? To avoid unpleasant manifestations makes it possible to open the mouth during the climb or decrease in height. Doing this helps to eliminate the pressure difference between the inner ear and the outside. Yawning is a good alternative to this method.
If you feel stuffy in your ears during flight, it is enough to draw more air into your lungs, covering your nose with your fingers, and then exhale sharply. In this case, a characteristic click should occur, which informs about the discharge of the tympanic membrane to its proper place.
People with colds often get stuffy ears on airplanes. What to do in such cases? Here nasal drops will come to the rescue, which have a vasoconstrictor effect. The use of drugs in this category will free the nasopharynx from mucus and, accordingly, reduce the pressure on the tissues in the ear canal.

Finally

So we figured out what to do if your ears get blocked on the plane, and why such discomfort occurs. As you can see, it is quite simple to eliminate the unpleasant phenomenon during the flight. It is enough to use the above recommendations. If you wish, you can purchase special earplugs at the airport, which will allow you to regulate the internal pressure in the hearing organs.