[Duncan]

Hi all,

I went on a flight to Dublin yesterday, and on my way home it was a funny old bumpy flight, and at one point both of my ears just phased out... didn't pop, or anything... but everything went really quiet and distant...

Anyways... my left ear sorted itself out within about an hour, but my right ear sounds very foggy, and keeps popping which is very irritating and somewhat random (not to do with me moving my jaw or anything)

Anyway... i'm quite desperate for any ideas on how to clear my ear... i've tried holding my nose, and breathing out... i've yawned countless times, chewed gum... all to no avail...

Any help would be massively appreciated!!

Thanks

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Let's see, you're back on the groud, and your ears are blocked up... that means you probably have negative pressure inside your ears, holding your nose and breathing out is the right idea. But instead of breathing out, you should hold your nose AND close your mouth and make like you're trying to breath out... like you're trying to inflate your head

Until *POP* your ears clear up (or *POP* goes your ears

if you blow too hard

well not likely but that's how it feels like sometimes

)

OT: what are you, a magicthyse me-too guy now??

 

[jude]

The only thing that works for me is a genuine yawn.

 

[mikeg]

Seal your nostrils by squeezing your nose, and simultaneously seal your lips. Then try to force air out through your sealed lips, and thereby force air pressure up the Eustachian Tubes (which are the tubes that pass from inside the throat to the ears). This equalizes the pressure on both sides of the ear membranes (i.e., the ear drums). Do this whenever you feel pressure in the ears because of changing altitude. This was tought to me by airline personnel, but I was cautioned not to do it when I have a cold, or when the tubes are clogged. This could force infectious liquid from the throat into the ears.

 

[jude]

[size=xx-small] Quote:

Originally posted by mikeg Seal your nostrils by squeezing your nose, and simultaneously seal your lips. Then try to force air out through your sealed lips, and thereby force air pressure up the Eustachian Tubes (which are the tubes that pass from inside the throat to the ears). This equalizes the pressure on both sides of the ear membranes (i.e., the ear drums). Do this whenever you feel pressure in the ears because of changing altitude. This was tought to me by airline personnel, but I was cautioned not to do it when I have a cold, or when the tubes are clogged. This could force infectious liquid from the throat into the ears.

[/size]I've tried this a million times, and, almost invariably, it ends up unplugging only one of my ears. And, for whatever reason, I find it uncomfortable to do. This is the method, however, that most people I know use.

 

[wallijonn]

chew gum.

otherwise a nice hot shower: direct warm water into your water canal. repeat as necessary.

 

[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally posted by mikeg Seal your nostrils by squeezing your nose, and simultaneously seal your lips. Then try to force air out through your sealed lips, and thereby force air pressure up the Eustachian Tubes (which are the tubes that pass from inside the throat to the ears). This equalizes the pressure on both sides of the ear membranes (i.e., the ear drums). Do this whenever you feel pressure in the ears because of changing altitude. This was tought to me by airline personnel, but I was cautioned not to do it when I have a cold, or when the tubes are clogged. This could force infectious liquid from the throat into the ears.

I've just done this again, but with real emphasis of through my lips, after going bright red through trying so hard, my ear rasped (repeatedly popped) but... then, when I stopped breathing out... my ear rasped back to how it was again

Wallijohn... I tried the gum thing, but it didn't help

 

[dhwilkin]

Sorry to hear you're having trouble, Duncan. That's the one reason I don't like to fly, as about half the time I have trouble of that sort that won't go away for awhile. Really annoying.

Usually, I try the pinching the nose and breathing method. If that doesn't work, try walljohn's water in the ear suggestion. Believe it or not, it does work sometimes, though not very often. If it's still there, well, you'll probably have to wait for a real yawn (not one you intentionally try to do) to occur, like jude said, and that'll most likely get rid of the pressure.

 

[mikel51]

Pseudofed can help. Usually the ear equalization tricks described by the others help--however, if your sinuses are congested, none of these tricks will do the job. I often take pseudofed if I feel the slightest bit congested before getting on a plane--the 12 hour tabs are good for international flights. BTW, divers often take pseudofed to help them equalize pressure in their ears while diving.

 

[Duncan]

thanks for the tip Mike, if things haven't improved by tomorrow, i'll pick up a pack

Oh, and Joe... No, i'm not following in Magicthyse' footsteps, the girl in my picture is only wearing the V600s ~ NOT the V700s

 

[elnero]

Duncan,

Sorry to hear about the ear. This happens to me almost every time I fly. I actually find it quite painful so I can understand what your feeling. I can't be of much help though, in my experience it takes a couple of days to go away, usually after I've slept I'll wake up one morning and it's all better. The Sudafed trick sounds interesting though, I'll have to remember to try that.

 

[bangraman]

Just swallow throughout the flight. And make Kenneth Williams style faces while doing so. And avoid short-haul planes with CFM56 engines.
Aren't the V600's supposed to be REALLY bad as opposed to peer-opinion bad?
I've just found this article http://www.cfm56.com/news/press/cfm02-01.htm which probably explains your problems further...

 

[PinkFloyd]

By any chance.. was it ryanair?

The best way to relieve the pressure is as follows:

Arm yourself with some good quality duck tape and head along to your nearest garage. Ask them if you can use their pressurised air line.

Now... seal your mouth with the Duck tape and plug your left nostril with your thumb. Insert the pressurised airline into your right nostril and pull the trigger.

That should get you up and running again Duncan.

Pinkie

 

[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally posted by PinkFloyd By any chance.. was it ryanair?

As it goes... it was, are you just familiar with their routings, or is this an occurence on their 737-800s?

actually... Bangraman has posted a link about their engines...

Sorry Bangra, I didn't see the link the first time I read your post... what is it about these engines then?? ~ I think I might go EasyJet in future for short haul if this is an engine related problem

 

[mikeg]

Quote:

Originally posted by mikel51 Pseudofed can help. Usually the ear equalization tricks described by the others help--however, if your sinuses are congested, none of these tricks will do the job. I often take pseudofed if I feel the slightest bit congested before getting on a plane--the 12 hour tabs are good for international flights. BTW, divers often take pseudofed to help them equalize pressure in their ears while diving.

I think that Pseudofed is an antihistamine, and if so, then it stops fluid from forming in the Eustachian Tubes. Since this clears the tubes, it permits air to pass from the inside of the throat into the ears. Following this, my previously mentioned method should work.