HEALTH

Ears plugged in airplanes, causes and remedies

Those who have traveled by plane know that the phenomenon of plugged ears can be frequent. Sometimes the discomfort can be irrelevant, other times, however, it becomes more important, up to cause a real earache. But why does this happen?

Ear pain in airplanes, which can manifest as the sensation of having a plug, can affect one or both ears and this can happen especially during the landing phase of the aircraft. This is usually because the cabin of the aircraft is not well pressurized or because the person affected has a cold.

But what can you do in case of ear discomfort on the plane? Let's find out.

(text written on the basis of information provided by the Humanitas Hospital in the province of Milan).

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Ear plugged in the plane, why it happens and what can be done
Those who have traveled by plane know that the phenomenon of plugged ears can be frequent. Sometimes the discomfort can be irrelevant, other times, however, it becomes more important, up to cause a real earache. But why does this happen and what can be done? (text written on the basis of information provided by the Humanitas Hospital in the province of Milan)
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When you may feel discomfort in your ear
Ear pain in airplanes, which can manifest as the sensation of having a plug, can affect one or both ears and this can happen especially during the landing phase of the aircraft. This is usually because the cabin of the aircraft is not well pressurized or because the person affected has a cold.
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Why the cold favors the phenomenon
When you have a cold, during the landing of the plane, it can happen that the air pressure in the aircraft increases quickly and the Eustachian tube, ie the duct that connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx does not react promptly to this pressure change. In such a situation, negative pressure is created in the eardrum cavity, which then generates ear pain.
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What to do in case of ear pain
To prevent and alleviate ear pain, you can chew gum. The movement due to chewing favors the opening and closing of the Eustachian tube and allows the passage of air into the middle ear, thus compensating for the increase in external pressure.
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What to do when you have to take a plane and you have a cold
Those who have a cold and have to take a trip by plane, at the time of the flight, can take a painkiller. In this way it is possible to reduce the discomfort and wait for the necessary time for the earplug to disappear, due to the normalization of the environmental pressure.
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