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FACTSHEET
Hearing health
Ear care when flying
Many people find that flying can cause pain or discomfort in their ears.
This factsheet explains why these ear problems happen, and what you
can do to help prevent them, for you and your family.
Contents
•
Why does flying sometimes cause ear pain or discomfort? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
•
What can help if I have a cold? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
•
How can I reduce the effects of flying on my ears? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
•
Can flying make tinnitus worse? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
•
Will flying affect my ears if I have grommets or a perforated eardrum? . . . . . . . . 5
•
Can I fly after ear surgery? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
•
What can I do if I feel anxious about flying? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
•
Will my hearing aids cause any issues when I go through airport security? . . . . . . 5
•
Where can I get more information and support from Action on Hearing Loss? . . . 5
If you’d like this factsheet in Braille, large print or audio,
please contact our Information Line (see last page for
contact details).
2
Ear care when flying
Why does flying
sometimes cause ear
pain or discomfort?
Many people have ear pain, dulled hearing
or an uncomfortable feeling of fullness in
their ears when they fly. These ear problems
are generally caused by quick changes in air
pressure – they are usually at their worst when
the plane comes down to land and clear up a
few hours later.
How do changes in air
pressure when flying affect
the ears?
Your ears have three parts: the outer,
middle and inner ear (see diagram).
The middle ear is filled with air that
Outer ear
is supplied by the Eustachian tube,
which connects the middle ear to the
back of the nose. The Eustachian tube is
usually closed and only opens to let more
air into the ear when you swallow, yawn or
chew. It makes sure that the air pressure
inside the ear is equalised with (the same
as) air pressure outside the ear. If the air
pressure isn’t equal on either side of the
eardrum, the ear will feel blocked.
When a plane takes off and lands, there
are quick changes in air pressure, and
the Eustachian tube needs to open
frequently to equalise the air pressure
inside the ear with the air pressure in the
cabin. This is especially the case when
the plane is coming down to land, as
the air pressure in the cabin increases.
You will feel or hear your ears ‘pop’ or
‘click’ when the pressure is equalised.
Middle
ear
Inner ear
Vestibular nerve
(balance)
Vestibular system
Incus
Malleus
Ear canal
Auditory nerve
(hearing)
Cochlea
Eardrum
Stapes
Eustachian tube
3
Ear care when flying
If the Eustachian tube doesn’t open
frequently, or if it is blocked – for example,
because you have a cold – air can’t reach
the middle ear and so the air pressure
can’t be equalised. A vacuum is created,
which sucks the eardrum inward and
stretches it. This causes a throbbing
pain, a dullness of hearing or a feeling of
‘fullness’ in the ear, because it won’t ‘pop’.
If you have hearing loss, a small,
temporary reduction in your hearing
when flying may have a big effect on
your ability to understand speech.
How flying affects the
inner ear
Very occasionally, a sudden change in air
pressure can affect the inner ear, which
contains the cochlea (the organ of hearing)
and the vestibular system (the organ of
balance). The increased pressure in the
inner ear may make you feel dizzy or
give you hearing loss that doesn’t clear
up after a few hours. However, this is rare
with modern aircraft – it’s more common to
experience inner ear problems as a result
of pressure changes when diving.
If you develop any hearing or balance
problems following a flight that don’t
clear up after a few hours, see a doctor.
What can help if I have
a cold?
You may find flying uncomfortable if you
have a cold, sinus infection or nasal allergy,
because swollen blood vessels in the nose
can block the opening of the Eustachian
tube, leading to ear problems. A cold is
the most common cause of a blocked
Eustachian tube.
Decongestants, a type of medicine that
you can buy in pharmacies without a
prescription, can provide short-term relief
for a blocked nose. These medications can
reduce the swelling of the blood vessels
inside your nose and help your ears to pop
more easily.
You can buy decongestants that are
nasal sprays, tablets, liquids or flavoured
powders to dissolve in hot water. However, decongestants aren’t usually
recommended for children under 12, for
women who are breastfeeding or for
people with certain health conditions
including high blood pressure.
Speak to your GP or pharmacist to check
whether decongestants could help you,
and for advice on when to take them
when flying.
How can I reduce the
effects of flying on
my ears?
You can do a number of things to reduce
the effects of flying on your ears:
•
Swallow frequently – this encourages
your Eustachian tubes to open. You
swallow more frequently when you
chew gum or suck on a boiled sweet,
so try to do this just before take-off
and when the plane starts to descend.
Taking regular sips of water or another
soft drink can also help.
4
Ear care when flying
•
Yawn – this is a great way to open
your Eustachian tubes, but yawning
repeatedly can be difficult. Alternating
between yawning and swallowing may
be easier.
•
Stay awake during descent – this is
when your ears will have a harder time
adjusting to the pressure changes. It’s
important to stay awake as you don’t
swallow as frequently when you’re
asleep, so your Eustachian tubes may
not open often enough to keep up
with the pressure changes.
•
•
Try the Valsalva manoeuvre – this
forces air along your Eustachian tubes,
equalising the pressure. To do this,
pinch your nose between your finger
and thumb, close your mouth, and
try to breathe out through your nose
gently. Don’t force the air out. You will
feel or hear your ears ‘pop’ when your
ears are unblocked and the pressure is
equalised. You may have to repeat this
a few times.
Use special earplugs – some people
find that earplugs designed for flying
can help with ear discomfort – they
aim to slow down the pressure changes
within your ear. Using ordinary soft
earplugs is not recommended.
How to reduce ear pain
for children and babies
when flying
If you’re travelling with a child or baby, try
not to let them sleep during take-off or
landing. Infants, like adults, swallow more
frequently when they are awake, which
helps to open their Eustachian tubes. Also,
waking up with ear pain can be frightening
for infants. If you’re flying with a baby,
feed them, or give them a dummy, during
take-off and landing.
Can flying make
tinnitus worse?
Most people with tinnitus find that flying
doesn’t make it worse. In fact, if you have
tinnitus, you may find that the engine
noise masks it, so you’re not aware of it
during the flight.
If your Eustachian tubes are blocked, your
tinnitus may seem slightly louder, but it
should return to its previous level once
your Eustachian tubes become unblocked
after landing.
If you normally use hearing aids, use
them during the flight. Removing them
may make your tinnitus more noticeable,
because you’ll hear fewer environmental
sounds to mask it.
You may find that your tinnitus seems
worse when you feel anxious or stressed,
and this may happen if you are worried
about flying. See ‘What can I do if I feel
anxious about flying?’, page 5, and our
factsheet Stress and tinnitus for tips to
help you manage both stress and tinnitus.
If you find that your tinnitus makes you
sensitive to the sound of the plane’s
engines, only use earplugs as a last resort
– wearing them may make your tinnitus
appear louder, because you’ve blocked
out external noise. If you are worried
about the noise of the engines, book
ahead and try to get a seat near the front
of the plane, away from the engines.
5
Ear care when flying
Will flying affect my ears
if I have grommets or a
perforated eardrum?
Grommets are small ventilation tubes that
are used to treat certain ear disorders.
Perforations (holes) in the eardrum can
happen as a result of infection or injury.
Flying is less likely to cause discomfort
if you have grommets or a hole in your
eardrum, because air is able to pass
through the grommet or hole. This
means that the pressure in the ear
can be equalised more easily, and it
doesn’t depend on the Eustachian
tube functioning normally.
Can I fly after ear
surgery?
If you have recently had any kind of
ear surgery, always check with your
ear specialist when it would be safe
for you to fly.
What can I do if I feel
anxious about flying?
If you are anxious about the effects
of flying on your ears or about flying
in general, discuss your anxieties with
your GP. They may suggest a small
dose of a tranquilliser.
You may find relaxation techniques,
such as mindfulness and breathing
exercises, very helpful, especially if
you practise beforehand.
You can find out more about mindfulness
on the NHS Choices website:
www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxietydepression/pages/mindfulness.aspx
You can also make use of any in-flight
entertainment systems to help you relax
during the flight.
Will my hearing aids
cause any issues when
I go through airport
security?
There are lots of myths about hearing
aids being an issue during airport security
checks – and even that they won’t work
anymore after going through the X-ray
machine or metal detector. This is not the
case. But it is recommended that you tell
airport security staff that you have hearing
loss and use hearing aids. You’re allowed
to wear your hearing aids as you go
through the metal detector, and it’s
the same for the external part of a
cochlear implant.
Where can I get more
information and
support from Action
on Hearing Loss?
Action on Hearing Loss has a wide range
of expert information on deafness, tinnitus
and hearing loss, and what can help people
to take control: choosing products, learning
to lipread, using communication support,
understanding rights and benefits, and
getting the right support.
6
Ear care when flying
Our leaflets are a good place to start, as
they cover the basics, while our factsheets
go into more detail. You can find our
leaflets and factsheets on our website at
actiononhearingloss.org.uk/factsheets
or order copies from our Information Line
(see last page).
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Information you can trust
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references for this factsheet, please
email [email protected]
Acknowledgement
Thank you to Dr Rudrapathy Palaniappan,
Consultant Neuro-otologist in
Audiovestibular Medicine, Royal National
Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, for
reviewing this factsheet and making sure
that our information is accurate and based
on the most up-to-date evidence.
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information helpful?
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Publication date: June 2016. Review date: June 2018.
Action on Hearing Loss is the trading name of The Royal National Institute for Deaf People.
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