Do you suffer with painful ears when flying?

Why do my ears hurt whilst flying?
Our ear has three parts- the external ear, middle ear and inner ear. The external ear and middle ear are separated by the eardrum. Usually, the pressure on both sides of the drum is equal, helped by the opening and closing of the Eustachian tube. Pressure changes in the cabin of an aeroplane during climbing and landing. Middle ear pressure becomes negative, especially when landing. When negative pressure pulls on the eardrum, it can become painful.

What are other names of Barotrauma?
Barotrauma is also known as Barotitis media or aerotitis media.

What other symptoms can suggest Barotrauma?
The most common symptom is a painful ear. This can be associated with decreased hearing, tinnitus and mild vertigo. In some cases, if associated with severe dizziness, severe deafness and bleeding from the ear due to eardrum perforation, you need to see an Ear Nose Throat Consultant immediately.

Who are at increased risk of the painful ear when flying?
Babies and toddlers have a small and straight Eustachian tube, which can get blocked with the change of pressure. Children with glue ear can experience a painful ear. In adults, increased mucus or inflammation around the Eustachian tube can make you more susceptible to Barotrauma. If you have an ear infection, flu or hay fever, you should seek advice before air travel.

What can we do avoid painful ear while flying?
Giving something to drink to babies and toddlers when climbing and landing can help maintain pressure in the middle ear. In adults, try chewing sweets, talking, gently blowing air into the middle ear, using decongestants after discussing with a pharmacist or doctor is advisable, and avoid sleeping on an aeroplane when the plane is climbing or landing, as this can make your symptoms worse.

When should I seek help for painful ear due to Barotrauma?
If you notice mild symptoms which last more than a few weeks or severe painful ear associated with vertigo or deafness, you should seek review by an Ear Nose Throat surgeon.

If you are a frequent flyer, you can try Otovent balloon to help your symptoms.

In severe symptoms with deafness and vertigo, you may need emergency middle ear exploration to plug inner ear in order to prevent permanent deafness.

Will I need ear perforation repaired due to Barotrauma?
The good news is that most eardrum perforation will heal in approximately six to eight weeks.

What can be done to prevent painful ear and Barotrauma in frequent flyers?

After consultation with an ENT surgeon in some cases, ventilation tube (grommets) or Eustachian tube dilation may help.

Mr Gaurav Kumar

Consultant Ear Nose Throat Surgeon

To make an appointment

Call 07494914140

email info@entsurgeonclinic.co.uk

Website https://entsurgeonclinic.co.uk/

Book Your Appointment

Disclaimer: For general information only, always seek medical advice from your treating consultant

Quinsy Abscess

How to tell the difference between tonsillitis and quinsy? 🤔🩺 Tonsillitis vs. Quinsy: Spotting the Differences 🩺🤔 Feeling under the weather with a sore throat? It's essential to know the difference between tonsillitis and quinsy. Here's how to tell them apart: 1. Tonsillitis: Symptoms: Sore throat, difficulty swallowing, fever, swollen tonsils with white or yellow patches, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, and possibly a cough and hoarse voice. Cause: Usually viral or bacterial infections, such as the common cold or strep throat. Treatment: Rest, hydration, over-the-counter pain relievers, and sometimes antibiotics for bacterial tonsillitis. 2. Quinsy (Peritonsillar Abscess): Symptoms: Severe sore throat on one side, difficulty swallowing, fever, drooling, muffled voice, swollen tonsil on one side, swollen uvula, and possibly a visible abscess on the tonsil. Cause: Complication of untreated or inadequately treated tonsillitis, where pus ac

Boil in the Ear canal can be very painful...

How do I know I have boil in the ear canal? The ear canal is lined by skin up to the eardrum. Skin in the outer third of the ear canal has hair follicles. Hair follicles can get infected with bacteria and can form boil or furunculosis. It is challenging to look in our own ear canal. You can only feel a bump in the ear canal entrance which is tender to touch. Why is so painful when we have boil in the ear? Ear canal skin is very tightly attached to underlying cartilage. So any swelling in the skin stretches it and makes it very sore to touch. How do we get boil in the ear canal? Most common causes of boil in the canal is dryness of the skin and trauma. Dry skin leads to cracks and these cracks can get infected. People who use dry earbuds, fingers, towel edges or pens and traumatise ear canal skin, which can get infected with bacteria. How do I release the temptation of using earbuds? Some people can get very dry skin due to sensitivity to soup, shampoo or dy

Eustachian Tube Dysfunction

Are you unable to pop your ears or feeling pressure in your ears? Eustachian tube dysfunction is a very common problem after flu or cold or even after long haul flight when you feel hearing is muffled, feel pressure around the ears and sometimes you feel as if you are underwater. Good news is most of the time it is temporary. If you try decongestants, antihistamine ( hay fever tablets ) and Valsalva (ie try and pop your ears) things should improve after a few days to a week. Why do we have symptoms of Eustachian tube dysfunction? The eustachian tube is present at the back of our nose and connects the nose to the middle ear. It is there to maintain equal pressure on both sides of the eardrum. The eustachian tube also helps in clearing normal mucus from the middle ear. Hence opening and closing of this ventilation tube are very important for hearing. Normally every time we yawn and chew this tube opens and closes without us noticing it. So, if this opening of ventilation tube

Retracted Ear Drum

What Is a Retracted Eardrum? A retracted eardrum, also known as tympanic membrane retraction, is a condition where the eardrum (tympanic membrane) is pulled inward or drawn backwards from its normal position. The eardrum is a thin, delicate membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. It plays a crucial role in transmitting sound vibrations from the outer ear to the middle ear, where the auditory ossicles (small bones) are located. Under normal circumstances, the eardrum is slightly concave and positioned at an angle that allows it to respond to changes in air pressure. The Eustachian tube, a tube connecting the middle ear to the back of the throat, helps equalize pressure between the middle ear and the outside environment. However, in cases of a retracted eardrum, the Eustachian tube might not function correctly or become blocked, leading to an imbalance in pressure. When negative pressure builds up in the middle ear, it causes the eardrum to retract inwa

"Naseptin: Powerful Defence Against Nasal Bacteria!"

Everything You Need to Know About Using Naseptin Nasal Cream If you've been dealing with nasal issues, you may have come across Naseptin nasal cream as a potential solution. Whether you suffer from recurrent nasal infections (vestibulitis), nose bleeds or simply need some relief from nasal dryness, Naseptin can be a valuable aid. In this blog, we'll cover everything you need to know about using Naseptin nasal cream to ensure you get the best results from this trusted product. Unlocking the Power of Naseptin Nasal Cream: A Guide to Its Versatile Uses Naseptin nasal cream, a powerful ally in nasal health, holds the key to treating infections caused by staphylococcal bacteria. This versatile cream offers much more than meets the eye, and we're here to shed light on its incredible benefits! 🌟 👃 Kicking Nose Infections to the Curb: Say goodbye to those troublesome nose infections! Naseptin comes to the rescue, targeting staphylococcal bacteria and effect

Tonsil Stones or Tonsilloliths

Where do Tonsil Stones come from? Tonsil stones or tonsillolith are formed in the tiny crevices on the tonsil surface. Tonsils are present at the back of the throat. Two large tonsils on each side can catch food particles when we eat. This food debris can accumulate bacteria and give a bad smell. This mixture of bacteria and food debris can become solid to form tonsil stones. Can Tonsil Stones go away on their own? Tonsil stones form due to food particle and bacteria. You can prevent stone formation by regularly rinsing mouth after every meal, good oral hygiene and dental care. Gargling with salt water and gentle use of bud to deliver the stones can help in some cases. Soft water floss can help keep tonsil surface clean. If you have, post nasal drip due to sinusitis, seeking treatment advice from ENT surgeon can help. You should not use sharp objects to clean tonsil stones or make tonsil surface bleed. What symptoms do tonsil stones cause? Tonsil ston

LAX VOX

LAX VOX is a vocal therapy technique that can help improve voice quality, relaxation, and overall vocal health. It involves using a unique tube to create bubbling sounds while phonating. Here are the steps for practising LAX VOX: Relax and Focus on Posture and Breathing : Maintain a good posture with a long spine. Relax your face, neck, upper back, and chest muscles, allowing them to release toward gravity. Preparing for Bubbling with Phonation : Place a silicone tube (about 35 cm long and 9-12 mm in diameter) between or in front of your incisor teeth and above your tongue. Keep your tongue relaxed (imagine it as a piece of steak) and slightly touch the tube. Hold the water-filled bottle near your body to avoid using shoulder muscles. Inhale through your nose as if you’re yawning with your mouth closed. Prepare for phonation during exhalation, focusing on abdominal and lower back muscles. Finding the Target Voice : Create bubbling sounds with your voice: //hhhooooo// (both sh

Vertigo and Dizziness..

Are labyrinthitis and vertigo the same? The ear has three main parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, with small bones of hearing, and the inner ear, consisting of the labyrinth. The labyrinth has two parts as well, hearing processing part and balance part. When you get an infection in the inner ear, it is often called labyrinthitis. Common symptoms for Labyrinthitis are hearing loss or vertigo, however, there are also other causes for vertigo as well. What is the most important thing to remember when you have labyrinthitis symptoms? In the first few hours of symptoms, it is difficult to know between stroke and labyrinthitis. If you have vertigo and notice one side of your face becoming droopy, your arms or leg become weak and speech becomes slurred, you should call for urgent help. What is the difference between labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis? If you only have vertigo symptoms, then it is due to vestibular neuritis. Vestibular neuritis oc

Cholesteatoma Ear Surgery

What is a Cholesteatoma? The ear has three parts outer ear (ear lobe and ear canal), the middle ear ( eardrum and bones of hearing) and inner ear. Cholesteatoma is skin from ear canal migrating into the middle ear. Like the skin on head keeps shedding and can cause dandruff. Similarly, skin in the middle ear can cause cholesteatoma, which can form a gradually expanding sac and can damage structures in the middle ear to give deafness, inner ear to give permanent deafness, nerve to the face to give a facial weakness or rarely give infection of the lining of the brain to cause meningitis Is cholesteatoma surgery or mastoidectomy done under general anaesthetic? Cholesteatoma is a surgical problem. Unfortunately, no medications work on it. Cholesteatoma surgery is called mastoidectomy, i.e. clearing cholesteatoma infection from the mastoid bone (the hard bone behind your ear). The procedure is done under general, i.e. you will be sleeping while the procedure is don

Biodesign®: Revolutionizing Tissue Repair and Minimally Invasive Ear Surgery

Introduction Advancements in medical technology continue to revolutionize healthcare, and one such groundbreaking innovation is Biodesign®. This platform technology is responsible for a wide range of tissue-repair products that span multiple medical specialities. At the core of Biodesign is a natural extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS), unleashing the potential for transformative treatments in the field of ear surgery and beyond. The ECM: A Guiding Latticework of Cellular Growth The extracellular matrix is a remarkable latticework of proteins and structural molecules present in our tissues. In the context of Biodesign, this ECM plays a pivotal role in guiding cellular growth and facilitating tissue repair. Cook's proprietary processing methodology is the key to harnessing the power of the ECM while preserving its natural matrix molecules like collagen, proteoglycans, and glycosaminoglycans. The Birth of a Scaffold for Regenerat

ENT conditions (Mr Gaurav Kumar)

Search This Blog

Featured post

“Where Are Your Tonsils? Your Health’s First Line of Defence!”