Question about flying and ear pressure ?

Does anyone suffer terribly with their ears when flying on a plane?
I can't even begin to describe the pain I am in when I fly somewhere. It is unbearable! I feel like my head is going to exploden and my ear drums are going to explode. I cry and want to scream.
I even went to an ENT to see if there was something wrong with my ears!
So he told me to take an anti-histamine and hour before take off and landing. And this should help.
So I did that on one trip and it only helped a little bit.
I also bought the "earplanes" ear plugs. And even that only helped a little bit. And of course I chew lots of gum and suck on sucking candies.
Sorry this is so long but does anyone have any other suggestions that may help me?
I"m going on a trip in September and I am dreading it because of my ears.

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

Try drinking during take off and landing. That's the only advice I have sorry

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

my dh and i do. we chew gum profusely during take off and landing.

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

I take a clariton D and just chew gum like a nut. I hate to fly for this reason.

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

i just chew gum and that does the trick for me.

are you going on a long plane ride? maybe your doctor can prescribe a sleep aid or something to knock you out during the flight so you dont feel any pain.

Message edited 8/17/2007 4:04:12 PM.

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

My daughter cries hysterically. she is 11. I start giving her an antihistimine a week before we fly. Also bring nose spray (Not the saline crap) and use continually throughout the flight (This is something new I just read). Also try earplugs along with everything else. During take off and landing drink bottled water. I feel so sorry for her. I hope it helps.

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

I had the same thing! I went to my Dr and she said I had ruptured my eardrum (or torn it or something like that) from a long flight I took! She told me not to get it wet for awhile and not to fly for a month to let it heal.

You might have done the same thing.

She also told me to do the antihisimine thing and earplugs too.

Most times though, I just take 3 advil and that does the trick.

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

Thanks for all the suggestions. I guess I will just try everything.
The other annoying thing is that I can never get my ears to pop and go back to normal. It takes weeks! I feel like I am deaf and screaming the whole vacation.
Thanks again.

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

I find the Earplanes help me alot. Are you sure you had them in tightly? I put them in as we taxi to take off, then remove them when we reach altitude, then replace them as we start to descend. It's important to make sure they are getting a good seal to work properly.

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

No solutions, only since I experience the same thing.

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

Earplanes on takeoff and landing -- for short flights, I pretty much have them in the whole time and I try to take a decongestant.

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

I tried the earplanes on my daughter the last time we flew and they didn't seem to help. I was thinking maybe cotton this time.

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

I did try the earplanes but i still felt the changes in the presure. i kept turning them tighter and tighter thinking i didn't have them in right. I kept them in the whole flight because i didn't want to take any chances.
My poor DH couldn't talk to me the entire flight because i couldn't hear him. I couldn't even listen to the movie!
It was either that or cry and scream in pain the whole flight!

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

Re: Question about flying and ear pressure ?

Last month I got a cold the day before I flew home from vacation. The pressure in my ear was sooo unbearable. Like you said, I thought my ear drum was going to burst. I could not clear my ear no matter what I did. Being sick didn't help at all either. I finally popped it 2 days later. I saw an ENT and he put me on nasonex. That's supposed to help I guess!