Ear pain on flights and when you have a cold
By maximax8
@maximax8 (31053)
United Kingdom
December 17, 2011 9:05am CST
I flew on many planes and always got severe ear pain when the plane began to descend. I learned how to do exercises like hold my nose, close my mouth and blow to make my ears pop. Children can chew sweets whilst descending and landing to stop getting ear pain. Flying was much more painful for me when I had a cold. That made it impossible for my ears to pop when the plane descended. It resulted in very painful ears. Therefore a doctor told me not to fly with a cold or an ear infection. When I was in Western Australia I got an ear infection after I had been snorkeling in the sea. As soon as the cold ended I got an ear infection. Therefore I wasn't well enough to fly home. I rang the airline and they told me they didn't have a seat available for another three weeks. That made my trip much longer and I could have lots more exploring. My visa lasted up to three months.
Have you ever had ear pain when on a plane?
Did you fly when you had a cold?
If so how well did you feel?
Have you been to Australia?
3 people like this
16 responses
@enelym001 (8322)
• Philippines
17 Dec 11
Hi maximax,
I've never been to Australia and never had an ear pain when I flew to planes. I was told that chewing gum will help you not to have those ear pains when the plane is either descending or landing. So those times that I have boarded a plane I never forget to take with me chewing gums and I keep chewing it until the plane is already in the air or already landed. 
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
17 Dec 11
Hi there. You are so sensible to have the chewing gum on planes. That is probably why you haven't suffered ear pain on your flights that you have done. The worst flight I did was London to Sfax via Tunis. I suffered ear pain and vomiting due to the bumpy flight down to Tunisia. When I visited Singapore chewing gum was illegal there.
Happy traveling to you.
@shskumbla (3338)
• India
18 Dec 11
When you get headache by travelling, better to wash your face with hot water which will certainly reduce vomiting sensation. I have tried this and got good results
@enelym001 (8322)
• Philippines
17 Dec 11
I could imagine how you felt I hate vomiting. The last time I flew on an airplane I was having a really bad headache and thank goodness I never vomit. I usually vomit when I have big headaches. I have never traveled to Singapore yet and thanks for the information I got from you
@youless (112112)
• Guangzhou, China
17 Dec 11
Sometimes I will have an ear pain when I am on the plane. But I don't think having the cold will make it worse. I am not sure whether it has a relationship with the ear pain. According to my experience, I found that if I keep chewing or talking when I am on the plane, then I will not have an ear pain. Perhaps this is why the airplane will give you some snacks.
I love China
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
17 Dec 11
Hello You Less. I believe you are happy chewing the food and chatting on plane rides. Sometimes it does seem you can get ear pain on a plane ride. On a long haul plane it can be many hours before the plane begins to descend.
I hope to visit China sometime in the future.
@shskumbla (3338)
• India
18 Dec 11
When you travel, do not eat much food in the middle which will result in vomiting and do not talk with fellow passengers when you get headache by that time. Always keep your head, " bowed" which will decrease headache
@derek_a (10874)
•
18 Dec 11
This happened to me several years ago. I had just finished with a cold, but had a lot of congestion in my nasal passages and ear canals. I didn't think a lot about it as we boarded the flight and was OK during the flight. But as the plane came down to land, I the pain in my ears started, a little at a time and by the time we were on the tarmac I was in agony and had never known such pain. I went to a doctor and he gave me decongestant and painkillers. The pain was with me for the rest of the day, but when I woke up the following morning, I was feeling much better. We were in a hot country and my sinuses cleared in a few days. I was a bit worried about flying home again, but it wasn't as bad as it had been when flying out.. I would never want to go through that again, but fortunately (touch wood) I rarely get a cold these days. _Derek
_Derek
@CTHanum (8234)
• Malaysia
18 Dec 11
I have never encounter any of the things you listed above.(^^) I have never had such experience so I can't tell you how I feel. But I always dreamed that someday I will take flight to somewhere and I am still try to save more money to make the dream come true and get to experience it.(^^)
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
17 Dec 11
Last flight (October) I had an ear pain for the first time, never had that before. I did not had a cold or ear infection (at least I was not aware of). I hope it won't be the same if I leave this monday. Only possitive thing was the pain only was there as we left and landed. I pressed a finger to my ear which made it feel less.
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
18 Dec 11
Hi maximax8, some of my friends have the ear pain problem during take-off and landing in flight. To make their ears comfortable a pack of sweets is always along with them. A short while before take-off and landing they start chewing sweet continuously until they feel ease without taking sweet. I'm glad that I don't have such problem I haven't been to Australia yet. I don't have any experience to fly when suffering from cold. Cold is disease related to ear, throat as well as nose and I believe it would make the pain in ear part more severe.
The atmospheric pressure is extremely increases or decreases on account of the quick height changes during flight. Therefore people some people like my friends would feel uncomfortable as well as painful in their ears. One of them had bought a pair of pressure reducing ear plugs to put on during take-off and landing
Have a nice day 
I haven't been to Australia yet. I don't have any experience to fly when suffering from cold. Cold is disease related to ear, throat as well as nose and I believe it would make the pain in ear part more severe.
The atmospheric pressure is extremely increases or decreases on account of the quick height changes during flight. Therefore people some people like my friends would feel uncomfortable as well as painful in their ears. One of them had bought a pair of pressure reducing ear plugs to put on during take-off and landing
Have a nice day
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
18 Dec 11
The Eustachian tube allows your inner ear to balance air pressure with the back of your throat,so that when you get a cold or cold like symptoms causing a blockage,the pressure can be excrutiatingly painful in your ears..I've only had this happen one time when I was on a comnnecting flight from Dublin to Paris a few years ago,but the sensation of pressure and pain was unforgettable and being unable to do anything about it,even knowing the cause was frustrating..Thankfully I was able to do something about it by getting a decongestant in the airport before my onward flight...If it had been a long distance flight,things would have been way worse..Haven't yet been to Oz..I wouldn't like that happening on that long a flight..
@marketing07 (6266)
• South Korea
17 Dec 11
ear pain..i always experience that,whenever i take a plain even if i dont have cold , its very pain...i never been to australia..and i want to be there..
@marguicha (215405)
• Chile
18 Dec 11
Hi Maxine,
I don´t remember flying with an ear infection or with a cold. But ears do bother me some at the beginning and at the end of a flight. I buy at the airport acid hard candy. I have found that acid candy is the best for me.
I have never been to Australia and I don´t think I´ll go there. It is very expensive from here and it is not on top of my list of priorities.
A BIG HUG and a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! See you
@bloggeroo (2167)
• Philippines
18 Dec 11
Yawning to make your ears pop is a better alternative to holding your nose and blowing with your mouth closed. The technique of blowing with your mouth closed is only good for a few tries, then it becomes a bit painful. Yawning, on the other hand, seems a bit more relaxed and practically achieves the same result.
@squallming (1775)
• Malaysia
17 Dec 11
I've had a lot of ear pain experience on plane. The thing is, I don't need to be having a cold in order for it to happen 
flying in Malaysia will not take more than three hours even if you are to fly from one end to the other. But I can experience ear pain even just a forty minutes flight. It makes me kinda hate getting on plane but I will still bear it 
Oh, I haven't been to Australia yet 
flying in Malaysia will not take more than three hours even if you are to fly from one end to the other. But I can experience ear pain even just a forty minutes flight. It makes me kinda hate getting on plane but I will still bear it Oh, I haven't been to Australia yet 
@icyrose123 (133)
• India
17 Dec 11
Hey I too felt ear pain when decending down.Someone advised me to have chewing gum during take-off and landing. And I swear this did wonders for me.Yes its advised not to travel if you have cold and ear infection.The reason being the pressure inside the body and outside air pressure is imbalanced.As our body's equilibrium is maintained by ears they start to pain due to the pressure difference.
@rbjat4589 (104)
• Philippines
18 Dec 11
Most people usually experience ear pain when riding on a plane especially when the plane is about to take off and to land. This is because of the change in pressure when you are still on the ground and going up to the air. Commonly people don't know what interventions to do in this situation. You are right about opening once mouth and hold the nose this way it could ease the pain you experience. I have never been to Australia, I love to go there but financially I can't afford to do so.
