I’m a pilot and you WANT your ears to pop on a plane – here’s why and how to do it
A PILOT has revealed why it’s a good thing to have your ears pop when you’re on a flight.
Many of us experience a popping sensation, or in some cases even pain in our ears when we fly, due to a change in pressure.
However, despite it being uncomfortable, it’s actually beneficial for us.
In a video on TikTok, a pilot called Morgan has explained why it is a good thing and how to make it happen.
She said: “Trust me when I say, you want your ears to pop.
“Your ears popping is your body’s way of relieving the pressure that has built up so that you don’t have something like a burst eardrum.”
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Some people have problems getting their ears to pop, which Morgan explained can be painful.
However, there are some methods that can bring the popping on sooner, to prevent it from hurting.
Firstly, she recommends anything that will move your jaw.
Doing things like yawning, talking, eating or chewing gum can help.
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Next, Morgan recommends something called the Valsalva manoeuvre, which involves closing your mouth, holding your nostrils shut and blowing.
This will relieve the pressure building up and can prevent a painful pop.
As a last resort, Morgan recommends using a nasal decongestant spray, which she says can help “open up your sinuses and make it a little bit easier for you to pop your ears”.
Morgan’s advice was backed up by expert audiologists at Hearmore UK who explained why ears pop on flights.
They said: “When a plane takes off or lands, the pressure in the cabin changes slightly.
“While most modern planes are pressurised, meaning the change when you take off is minimal and should hopefully not drastically affect your ears, you can sometimes experience difficulties.
“The difficulty comes when the pressure changes and your eustachian tube – a tube that connects your ears to the back of the nose – can’t function properly.
“When your middle ear can’t equalise the pressure, it can cause the eardrum to be sucked in and pulled taut, making your hearing muffled and causing discomfort.”
Asa Richards from Hearmore added two further tips, saying that sleeping during take off and landing and using headphones can make things worse.
She said: “Your eustachian tube doesn’t work as well when you’re asleep as when you’re awake so staying awake for key parts of the flight like take-off and landing can ensure your ears are able to balance the pressure properly.
“Some earplugs prevent the ears from balancing pressure properly, resulting in a more painful experience until they can properly balance.
“If you use earbuds as headphones, make sure they aren’t entirely blocking your ears and remove them if you feel an increase in pressure in your ears that doesn’t easily go away through swallowing and yawning.”
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This flight attendant revealed a different method to ease the pressure in your ears, involving a cup, a tissue and some warm water.
Another cabin crew member has revealed the weird item they pack that also helps with the problem.