How do you protect your ears from popping when flying?

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vanityspice

Suck on hard candy or chew gum during take-off and landing.

cajunjo06

chew gum, and give the baby a pacifier !~~

Carrie S

I have suffered from terrible pain when taking off - it felt like someone sticking a needle between my eyes. I felt like screaming but was with my 2 year old daughter at the time and so had to concentrate on her. I tried all the sucking, yawning and chewing gum things.

I finally realised that the pain was caused by my sinuses and so decided to try taking a couple of Sinutab tablets next time I flew - it really did the trick and no more pain.

cherry_blossom

i get really bad ears on planes to. i figured out that swallowing and blowing my nose doesnt really work. you can buy sinus clearing sprays and they really work.

(sorry i sound a bit like an advertisment but i speak the truth)

Mari C

I don't think you can, no offense to the sucking sweets theory but I believe that was all a marketing scam by hard boiled sweets manufacturers & airlines (note they don't offer them anymore today) - never worked for me !!!

What you can do to get rid of the feeling that you can't hear is either just blow your nose or close your ears by pressing your thumbs against the front bit of them attached to your face & close each nostril with your index fingers, then hold your breath & simulate your blowing your nose (nothing will come out if holding tight !!!) it doesn't look very cool but only takes a second & does work !!!!!

londonon

Chew something.....let your mind think, otherwise, equalise your ears,as in what you do when you dive, by pinching your nose shut and blowing softly (NEVER HARD!!), chewing gum, ask a trolley dolley for assitance, or take a train.

pugsley

pinch your nostrils closed and blow gently with your mouth closed. It's the technique that divers use when they are surfacing at the end of a dive. I've always found it very effective and I spend a lot of time on long-haul flights!!!

a1ways_de1_lorri_2004

chew candy/gum, yawn or swallow deeply, alternatively you can buy things called "ear-planes" earplugs with a corkscrew type fitting on the exterior side which allowa equalisation of air pressure in the inner and outer ear.

mescalin57

you want your ears to pop otherwise the pressure in your ears can't be equalised. and you will suffer pain and possibly burst ear drums. that why you chew gum or suck a sweet the swallowing action should pop your ears and ease the pressure. so no pop no equalisation. result sore ears.

Tired Old Man

chew gum,& swallow every so often.

T T

Try an oral non-drowsy decongestant or a nasal spray like "Afrin" about 45 minutes before getting on the plane. Chewing gum helps some but for those that have chronic sinus issues, the spray or Decongestant usually does the trick. Enjoy your flight!