How to Protect Your Ears While Flying, According to Experts

It’s a feeling that air travelers know all too well: an uncomfortable, and sometimes painful, popping sensation that takes over your ears as your plane lifts into the sky or touches down on the tarmac. The condition is more commonly known as “airplane ear,” and according to the Mayo Clinic, it happens when the air pressure in your middle ear and the air pressure in the environment are out of balance. Symptoms of airplane ear can include ear pressure, a feeling of fullness in your ear, and muffled hearing. You’ve probably experienced it firsthand, but you might not know how to deal with it. 

If you’re a frequent sufferer of airplane ear, try these expert tips before your next flight to keep the discomfort in check. 

Who Experiences “Airplane Ear”?

“​​Everyone will react differently to pressure changes,” says Nissim Khabie, MD. Our ears pop when we experience a change in air pressure and our Eustachian tubes—which connect the middle ear to the back of the throat—can’t handle the change, according to Khabie.

Many people won’t experience any ear discomfort on a flight if their Eustachian tubes are working properly, says Brian Taylor, AuD, the senior director of audiology for Signia. If your Eustachian tube doesn’t work properly—like when you have a cold or suffer from Eustachian Tube Dysfunction—you can take a few preventative steps to ensure the pain and pressure is as minimal as possible.

How to Protect Your Ears While Flying

Consider Over-the-Counter Options

If you have a cold or allergies, Taylor suggests you take an over-the-counter decongestant pill about an hour before boarding. During flights longer than two hours, an over-the-counter nasal spray can be used about 20 minutes before takeoff and again about 30 minutes before landing. If your flight is shorter, Taylor says one dose should be enough.

“The pressure and pain are more pronounced on the descent, so it’s important to have the nasal passages as clear as possible at that time,” he explains. If you have high blood pressure, exercise caution using these meds. It’s also important to take these steps if you’ve been sick recently.

Use Earplugs

For people who are generally susceptible to airplane ear, earplugs can be great tools. “Specific earplugs designed to help reduce the pressure in the ear canal reduce how quickly the pressure changes,” Khabie says. Thankfully, disposable earplugs are often sold over the counter.

Try Pressure Equalizing

Have you ever heard that yawning or chewing gum before takeoff and landing can reduce ear pain? Taylor explains that these simple behaviors can be all it takes to ward off airplane ear.

“For someone with normal Eustachian tube function, yawning, swallowing, or chewing gum might offer some relief during flight,” he says, emphasizing that it’s normal to experience a mild amount of pressure as the altitude changes.

However, if you have congestion, Taylor says these steps likely won’t be enough—that’s when you should consider over-the-counter interventions like nasal spray and decongestants. In addition to helpful behaviors and over-the-counter solutions, staying hydrated can help, too. Be sure to drink plenty of water while you wait at the gate, and keep it up on the flight.

Ask Your Doctor

For frequent fliers who struggle significantly with airplane ear even after trying the suggested precautions, Khabie said ear tubes can be an option. Ear tubes—tiny, hollow tubes usually made of plastic or metal that are inserted via a surgical procedure—allow air into the middle ear and prevent fluid from building up behind the eardrums, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

“If ear pain and pressure linger after the flight more than about a week, consult your healthcare professional; sooner if the pain is severe,” Khabie says.