How to Help Ear Pressure while Flying: EarPopper

Ear pressure is something every airplane passenger should try and avoid. However, colds, allergies and flying can easily contribute to that uncomfortable ear pressure which can eventually turn into severe ear pain.

I can speak from firsthand experience about flying with an ear infection and the pain that accompanies it. The pain I experienced was so severe I ended up crouched on the galley floor – I was working the flight – crying in pain. There was nothing that would help.

While I suffered from the agony of ear pain, negative ear pressure can also trigger headaches, dizziness, hearing loss and fluid build-up behind the eardrum (Otitis media with effusion).

Luckily, today there is a product called EarPopper and it’s unlike anything else on the market. It looks like a nose spray bottle, but the results are so much more.

EarPopper is designed to balance pressure in the middle ear by delivering a safe, constant stream of air into the nasal cavity. When the user swallows the air opens the Eustachian Tube and clears the middle ear which then relieves negative ear pressure and allows any fluids to drain.

Fortunately, I haven’t needed to use EarPopper yet but I do know people who have and they say it works wonders. The good news is, the EarPopper isn’t just for flying.

People can use it in their daily lives or while participating in other travel activities such as swimming, scuba diving or driving through mountains and it’s safe for children.

EarPopper isn’t an over the counter product which means you must receive a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.

If you don’t have an EarPopper yet, here are some ear popping tips on how to help ear pressure while flying:

Don’t fly. Of course, avoiding ear pain all together should be your first goal. People should never fly with an ear infection, when they are sick or just getting over a cold. The pressure can increase inflight and you may end up with a ruptured eardrum.

Get doctor’s clearance after being sick. Don’t be surprised if you feel as if the illness has passed but your doctor recommends you postpone your trip a couple of days because your ear hasn’t healed yet.

On the other hand, don’t avoid the doctor because you assume he will ground you. You ears may be just fine to fly. Whatever the case, it’s best for your health to get a professional opinion before hitting the skies.

Self-help. If you do fly and feel a little congestion, chew gum, suck on a mint, thrust your jaw or hold you nose and gently blow to help relieve ear pressure. You may have to pop your ears repetitively.

Medication. Sudafed worked on occasion for me when I was a flight attendant and could feel a cold coming on when I was across the country from my hone. But as soon as the medication wore off my ears clogged again. Nose spray can also help temporarily.

Help the babies. Also, don’t let the little ones fly with a cold. Even for routine flights, give your baby a bottle or pacifiers during take-off and landing.

Be prepared for descent. Once you get in the air ear pressure should subside, it’s when the plane starts to descend that the pain starts to build and and build until you can’t take it anymore – this will be when EarPopper really comes in handy.

Invest in EarPopper. For those with chronic ear problems and even those who only have the occasional congestion, ear pressure or pain will be pleased to use this solution that will help ear pressure when flying.

I can think back to dozens if not hundreds of passengers, flight attendants and pilots who could have benefited from this unique and much needed relief. I think EarPopper is going to change the way passengers and crew fly. And it’s about time we hear some positive news about air travel.

Pin for later!

Ear pressure is something every airplane passenger should try and avoid. However, colds, allergies and flying can easily contribute to that uncomfortable ear pressure which can eventually turn into severe ear pain.

7 Comments on "How to Help Ear Pressure while Flying: EarPopper"

  1. Anya Clowers, RN | November 30, 2010 at 1:26 pm |

    Beth,

    Thanks for writing about the ear pressure issues in flight and the EarPopper! Many flight attendants and passengers suffer ear pressure, pain, and even hearing loss associated with negative middle ear pressure and flying.

    When yawning, swallowing, and the Valsalva Maneuver no longer work to open the Eustachian tube (the little “pop” we sometimes hear) and relieve middle ear pressure, the EarPopper is the “ticket’ to avoiding missed work and flights!

    The EarPopper may help clear the middle ear and prepare ears for flying by alleviating issues caused by congestion after colds and allergies. The prescription device is clinically proven to be safe and effective in a 4 year National Institute of Health study and has been cleared by the FDA for use in the treatment of negative middle ear pressure.

    How do I know all of this and why am I so ridiculously passionate about the EarPopper? As a nurse consultant and travel expert, I learned about the device at a medical conference in 2007 and used it to eliminate ear pain in flight for my then 3 year old frequent-flier-in-training son. For 3 years I recommended the product to family, friends, and in my travel seminars. Now I professionally represent the product and educate travelers and flight crews about this amazing device!

    Thanks Beth for your post! I am happy to provide more information about the EarPopper if needed.

    Twitter: @EarPopperNurse
    Facebook: http://www.EarPopper.com/Facebook
    Blog: http://www.EarPopper.com/blog

    Yes, I am ridiculously passionate about this one!

    Anya Clowers, RN
    “EarPopperNurse”

  2. Good to know! I hadn’t heard of this!

  3. I use this and love it. I’ve been flying for 20+ years and didn’t realize just how bad my ears and hearing were. I’m not out of the woods yet — one ear is still giving me a bit of trouble — but I’ve made remarkable progress and much less time off work.

  4. Wow – where can I get one!? As editor of an online travel magazine I fly regularly for work and often suffer from severe ear pain. I’ve taken to taking strong prescription pain-killers during the flight to counter it – but sometimes even they don’t work.
    A non-medicated ear pressure reliever would be amazing, it could also put scuba diving back on my list as I avoid it fearing the pressure will be a problem. Going to check out the earpopper website now!

  5. PS: Thanks for posting on this subject – very few people are aware of this problem or just how severe the pain can be. As you described it can be excruciating and lead to temporary deafness.

  6. Thanks so much for your story. I cannot fly because the pain is soooo horrible….the problem I am facing is now I absolutely have to fly from Ohio to Cali for my USMC son’s homecoming from deployment….you have no idea how excited I am and relieved to know that I’ll be able to fly out there and welcome him home from a war zone….thank you and Semper Fi.

    Mari.

  7. jill mountford | June 11, 2014 at 2:19 pm |

    i have suffered with severe ear pain for years the pain is only in my right ear and only when the plane is going to land i have tried holding my nose chewing swallowing pain killers nose drops nothing work
    i am thinking of getting the ear popper but it is so expensive how can i be sure it will work for me

2 Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. How to Help Ear Pressure while Flying: EarPopper « Topicco – Find, Read, Share
  2. Flight Attendants: Office at 37,000 Feet

Comments are closed.