Ear Pain Tops List of Commercial Flying Ailments
It’s summertime and for many that means vacation, and vacations often mean flying. As millions of Americans prepare to take flight this summer, taking care of you ears and hearing health ranks top on the list of things to remember.
According to a survey conducted by Deafness Research UK, 70% of those who fly will experience some kind of health-related problem and ear pain ranks number one, with a whopping 34% experiencing ear pain during a flight. Many ear problems are avoidable with good ear hygiene and regular check-ups, Once on the plane, there are things you can do to minimize ear pain if you are unlucky enough to suffer any discomfort.
According to Vivienne Michael, CEO of Deafness Research UK, “Ear pain in the air can ruin many people’s holiday before it has even started. More worryingly, it can lead to much more serious hearing problems in people who have a bad cold when they fly. We want holiday-makers and regular flyers to be aware of how common this is and the simple things you can do, like yawning or swallowing regularly, to ease the pain.’ Most discomfort results from changes in cabin pressure and these are most noticeable as the aircraft descends. During descent, the air in the middle ear is at a lower pressure than the air in the cabin. The Eustachian tubes, which pass air from the nose into the middle ear when you swallow, may become blocked with mucus, and the small muscles in the throat which normally open them may not be able to do so. The eardrum is pressed inward and tensed, resulting in discomfort, and even pain.”
The top ten most common minor medical problems people experience while flying are:
1. Ear pain (34.3%)
2. Swollen feet or ankles (18.8%)
3. Aching joints or muscles (18.8% – as above)
4. Stress, anxiety or ‘air rage’ (14.9%)
5. Dehydration (10.1%)
6. Extreme fatigue (8.1%)
7. Dizziness or fainting (5.5%)
8. Sickness or nausea (4.9%)
9. Toothache (2.5%)
10. Hyperventilation (2.5%)
(28.6% of people have never experienced a medical problem while flying).
Brent Curtis – Editor
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It’s summertime and for many that means vacation, and vacations often mean flying. As millions of Americans prepare to take flight this summer, taking care of you ears and hearing health ranks top on the list of things to remember.
According to a survey conducted by Deafness Research UK, 70% of those who fly will experience some kind of health-related problem and ear pain ranks number one, with a whopping 34% experiencing ear pain during a flight. Many ear problems are avoidable with good ear hygiene and regular check-ups, Once on the plane, there are things you can do to minimize ear pain if you are unlucky enough to suffer any discomfort.
According to Vivienne Michael, CEO of Deafness Research UK, “Ear pain in the air can ruin many people’s holiday before it has even started. More worryingly, it can lead to much more serious hearing problems in people who have a bad cold when they fly. We want holiday-makers and regular flyers to be aware of how common this is and the simple things you can do, like yawning or swallowing regularly, to ease the pain.’ Most discomfort results from changes in cabin pressure and these are most noticeable as the aircraft descends. During descent, the air in the middle ear is at a lower pressure than the air in the cabin. The Eustachian tubes, which pass air from the nose into the middle ear when you swallow, may become blocked with mucus, and the small muscles in the throat which normally open them may not be able to do so. The eardrum is pressed inward and tensed, resulting in discomfort, and even pain.”
The top ten most common minor medical problems people experience while flying are:
1. Ear pain (34.3%)
2. Swollen feet or ankles (18.8%)
3. Aching joints or muscles (18.8% – as above)
4. Stress, anxiety or ‘air rage’ (14.9%)
5. Dehydration (10.1%)
6. Extreme fatigue (8.1%)
7. Dizziness or fainting (5.5%)
8. Sickness or nausea (4.9%)
9. Toothache (2.5%)
10. Hyperventilation (2.5%)
(28.6% of people have never experienced a medical problem while flying).
Brent Curtis – Editor
Book Mark it-> del.icio.us | Reddit | Slashdot | Digg | Facebook | Technorati | Google | StumbleUpon | Window Live | Tailrank | Furl | Netscape | Yahoo | BlinkList
June 7th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Having suffered with an inner ear viral infection that resulted in tinnitus, and constant plugging of the ear, I recently found how to remedy the problems with the ear due to pressure in the flight. I take an antihistamine the night before the flight, one the night I arrive from the flight, drink lots of water on the plane and after, and upon descending from the flight whent the pressure built up in my ears I pinched my nose and blew my nose until both ears popped immediately and I had no pain subsequently. I have allergic rhinitis and so prior to the tinnitus and inner ear problem I suffered from severe ear pain and colds from flights. This remedy has proven to prevent any problems.
June 13th, 2008 at 4:00 am
I never had a serious problem with ear pain until a flight last year, when I flew with what I thought was a very minor head cold. My Eustachian tubes were blocked, and my ears wouldn’t pop, which lead to quite a bit of pain, and caused fluid in my right ear. Shortly after landing, I developed tinnitus in my right ear.
Ever since, I’ve used “Ear Planes” ear plugs whenever I have to fly. I highly recommend them to everyone who has ever experienced ear pain on a flight.
January 25th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Earplugs are seriously the only thing that works, just don’t take them out during midflight! That would be a world of pain all at once. If I fly without earplugs it is definitely a form of torture. The pain is excrutiating, but using any old earplugs keeps the pressure stabilized in my ear.