Posted: 6/30/2009 7:05:51 PM EDT
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Why do my ears only hurt on the flight HOME and not the flight there?!
It takes hours for my hearing to return to normal after landing. Is it a matter of the rate of descent? Does this do permanent damage? 
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Quoted:
Why do my ears only hurt on the flight HOME and not the flight there?! There is no possible explanation for this, other than coincidence. It takes hours for my hearing to return to normal after landing. Is it a matter of the rate of descent? Pretty much, yes. On the way up, the pressure vessel that is your cabeza (head) expands. It may or not vent out to equalize cabin altitude (8000ft). For reasons unknown, this does not seem to hurt either way. On the descent, the cabin pressure is increased at a gradual rate, barring the aircrew screwing up (which I have done many times) or a maintenance issue. The increased pressure pushes in on your eardrums, and this hurts a great deal. Google Valsalva procedure. That is how you prevent pain by equalizing the pressure diff. DO NOT DO THIS ON ASCENT, OR SO HARD THAT YOU INJURE YOURSELF. Free tip, if one side will clear, but the other will not, lean your head away from the clogged side. One more, pop some decongestant as the goo in your head is why it will not unclog. Does this do permanent damage? Only if you burst your eardrums, which is only going to happen in extreme circumstances that are very rare in commercial aviation. It is more likely possible by being to aggressive with a Valsalva. Be gentle. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Why do my ears only hurt on the flight HOME and not the flight there?! There is no possible explanation for this, other than coincidence. I'd be curious as to which airport is his home airport and what are the approach procedures? Does the approach call for a rapid descent? Is he combat-landing in a C-17 at a remote FOB in Afghanistan?  Just guessing... |
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Ear Pain While Flying....
Alrighty folks...this happens to some of us, all the time.... Ever hear a screaming kid as you are coming in on approach? It happens. Pressures change on take-off and landing. I usually have problems on the landing side of things. It's a middle-ear dysfunction...normally. It can be exsacerbated (spelling) by a head cold, sinus flair up, and a variety of other things. Basically, anything from around upper chest and up can lead to the dysfunction; including just being a smoker. In the back of the throat, there are two small openings...two tubes; that go to the middle ear. If the muscles surrounding those 'tubes' malfunction (either at the back of the throat or on the middle ear side). It leads to a build up of pressure in the middle ear. This can cause pain. Squeezing your nose and back-pressuring the sinus system can sometimes allieve this. Sometimes not. My instructor always recommended having some cough syrup with anti-histemine in it. It tends to work well. You can also try what are called 'ear-planes' Follow the instructions exactly. They are a variety of ear-plugs. They work well with infants, children, and adults. And run about 4 bucks a pair. If symptoms persist after 3-4 days...go see an Audiologist. Damage is generally zero...unless left untreated. If you cannot get your ears to pop on your own in a couple 3-4 days, go see an Audiologist...they know how to deal with it...though it will cost you a bit. |
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Quoted: Ear Pain While Flying.... Alrighty folks...this happens to some of us, all the time.... Ever hear a screaming kid as you are coming in on approach? It happens. Pressures change on take-off and landing. I usually have problems on the landing side of things. It's a middle-ear dysfunction...normally. It can be exsacerbated (spelling) by a head cold, sinus flair up, and a variety of other things. Basically, anything from around upper chest and up can lead to the dysfunction;including just being a smoker. In the back of the throat, there are two small openings...to tubes; that go to the middle ear. If the muscles surrounding those 'tubes' malfunction (either at the back of the throat or on the middle ear side). It leads to a build up of pressure in the middle ear. This can cause pain. Squeezing your nose and back-pressuring the sinus system can sometimes allieve this. Sometimes not. My instructor always recommended having some cough syrup with anti-histemine in it. It tends to work well. You can also try what are called 'ear-planes' Follow the instructions exactly. They are a variety of ear-plugs. They work well with infants, children, and adults. And run about 4 bucks a pair. If symptoms persist after 3-4 days...go see an Audiologist. Damage is generally zero...unless left untreated. If you cannot get your ears to pop on your own in a couple 3-4 days, go see an Audiologist...they know how to deal with it...though it will cost you a bit. Actually, you want to see an ENT. And not anti-histamine unless you have allergries. A DECONGESTANT is much better. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Ear Pain While Flying.... Alrighty folks...this happens to some of us, all the time.... Ever hear a screaming kid as you are coming in on approach? It happens. Pressures change on take-off and landing. I usually have problems on the landing side of things. It's a middle-ear dysfunction...normally. It can be exsacerbated (spelling) by a head cold, sinus flair up, and a variety of other things. Basically, anything from around upper chest and up can lead to the dysfunction;including just being a smoker. In the back of the throat, there are two small openings...to tubes; that go to the middle ear. If the muscles surrounding those 'tubes' malfunction (either at the back of the throat or on the middle ear side). It leads to a build up of pressure in the middle ear. This can cause pain. Squeezing your nose and back-pressuring the sinus system can sometimes allieve this. Sometimes not. My instructor always recommended having some cough syrup with anti-histemine in it. It tends to work well. You can also try what are called 'ear-planes' Follow the instructions exactly. They are a variety of ear-plugs. They work well with infants, children, and adults. And run about 4 bucks a pair. If symptoms persist after 3-4 days...go see an Audiologist. Damage is generally zero...unless left untreated. If you cannot get your ears to pop on your own in a couple 3-4 days, go see an Audiologist...they know how to deal with it...though it will cost you a bit. Actually, you want to see an ENT. And not anti-histamine unless you have allergries. A DECONGESTANT is much better.  Thanks on the correction, Keith...been a wee time since I've been in class for it.
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With your mouth half open, stick your jaw out forward. Really far foreward, like you're trying to reach something too far away with the point of your chin.
Now wag it as far to the side as you possibly can, with the point of your jaw still forward. Back and forth, you should hear your ear canals popping and crackling. Dunno why this works, but I suspect you are distorting the cross section of the ear canal just a bit, so that the ear drums no longer seal as well, relieving pressure brought on by aircraft landings. If this doesn't work, I'd suspect wax or other obstruction in there, and go see a doc about it. |
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I guess, now that I think about it it only hurts bad when I land in Minneapolis. I posted this thread from the MSP airport before my connection to Duluth –– no problems on that flight at all. I was coming from Detroit originally; so no huge elevation difference.
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