Making "Ear" Travel Easier

Most veteran travelers consider the blocked hearing and occasional ear pain that often accompany flying to be necessary nuisances, but they are nuisances you can lessen if you wish.  For one thing, spraying a nasal decongestant into your nose five minutes before takeoff and again five minutes before landing will help eliminate the problem.

The ear discomfort experienced by many air travelers stems from the plane's cabin pressure being different from the pressure inside the middle ear.  When the plane is climbing, the cabin pressure is less than that inside the ear and during the descent, the cabin pressure is higher.  The decongestant helps the eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the nasal passages, to equalize air pressure on both sides of the eardrum, thus helping to eliminate any feeling of pain or "plugged-up" hearing.

You should try to avoid sleeping through a plane's landing.  Sleeping adversely affects the eustachian tube's ability to equalize pressure.  This is why sleeping babies on airplanes often wake up crying as the plane begins its descent.  Most people think the baby is frightened by the noise, but actually it is the pressure buildup.

While nasal decongestants can help plane travelers, such medications should not be overused, since they can damage the delicate lining inside the nose.