Kentucky Ear, Nose & Throat
A Personal Approach
Compassionate and comprehensive care is what you can expect from Kentucky Ear, Nose & Throat. Our doctors and providers improve the lives of their patients and ensure their individual comfort. Treating a broad spectrum of conditions from pediatric ENT disorders to allergies and with 4 convenient locations, our ENT doctors, providers and audiologists are here to serve you.
Request an AppointmentEars, Altitude and Airplane Travel
Have you ever wondered why your ears pop when you fly on an airplane? Or why, when they fail to pop, you get an earache? Have you ever wondered why the babies on an airplane cry so much during descent? Ear problems are the most common medical complaint of airplane travelers, and while they are usually simple, minor annoyances, they occasionally result in temporary pain and hearing loss. It is the middle ear that causes discomfort during air travel, because it is an air pocket inside the head that is vulnerable to changes in air pressure. Normally, each time (or each 2nd or 3rd) you swallow, your ears make a little click or popping sound because a small bubble of air has entered your middle ear, up from the back of your nose. It passes through the Eustachian tube, a membrane-lined tube that connects the back of the nose with the middle ear. The air in the middle ear is constantly being absorbed by its membranous lining and resupplied through the Eustachian tube. In this manner, air pressure on both sides of the eardrum stays about equal. If and when, the air pressure is not equal the ear feels blocked.
How can air travel cause problems?
How to unblock your ears
- Pinch your nostrils shut
- Take a mouthful of air
- Use your cheek and throat muscles to force the air into the back of your nose as if you were trying to blow your thumb and fingers off your nostrils. When you hear a loud pop in your ears, you have succeeded. You may have to repeat this several times during descent.
Babies’ Ears
Babies cannot intentionally pop their ears, but popping may occur if they are sucking on a bottle or pacifier. Feed your baby during the flight, and do not allow him or her to sleep during descent.
Precautions
What about decongestants and nose sprays?
If your ears will not unblock
Even after landing you can continue the pressure equalizing techniques and you may find decongestants and nasal sprays to be helpful. Avoid making a habit of nasal sprays as after a few days of use, they may cause more congestion than they relieve. If your ears fail to open or if pain persists, you will need to seek the help of a physician who has experience in the care of ear disorders. He may need to release the pressure or fluid with a small incision in the ear drum.
Lexington Clinic is Central Kentucky’s largest and oldest medical group. With 350+ providers in more than 30 specialties, we have been taking care of 600,000+ visits annually in the Lexington community since 1920.