ear solutions for flight?

[Too blessed to be stressed]

My daughter is not looking forward to the flight. It really hurts her ears and mine too. Any ideas. I bought the ear plugs to off set the pressure but it only works if you don't take them out. I really makes it hard to hear a movies or each other. She is 13 years old. She had tubes in her ears and always had problems with ear infections when she was a baby.

 

Thanks,

Tammy

[Keith1010]

I know you will get a lot of good advice on the board but also hope you will check with your daughters doctor given her other ear conditions.

 

I find that little things such as yawning often really help and also chewing gum.

 

Keith

[Too blessed to be stressed]

She hasn't had any more ear infections since we left Pasadena, TX. 10 years ago. I think it was from the polution. In fact all my kids stopped having runny noses and ear infections after we moved out of that city.

 

But I will for sure bring some gum.

 

Thanks,

Tammy

[sparky-elpaso]

Having a bottle of water to sip from helps too.

[cb at sea]

I always take sudafed (or some decongestant) at least 1 hour before getting on the plane...and every 4 hours until we land. I've suffered HORRENDOUS ear pain on flights, sometimes, resulting in infections, so I do take precautions. This has never failed me, as long as I keep the decongestant in my system.

[MNmomof4]

I have my children drink and eat (chew) on take off and landing. Sometimes they have to yawn. At 3 and 4 the young ones don't chew gum.

 

Hope her ears do well on the flight!

[cruisincarly]

I used to occasionally get horrible earaches on landing, ones where the pain radiated out from my ears, over my head and into my eyeballs, and where I thought something might seriously be wrong.

 

It turned out I wasn't drinking enough water on flights, and the dry air was dehydrating me further. Since I started bringing a big water bottle and drinking the whole thing on each flight, I haven't had any ear problems. I don't know if that's her problem, but it might be worthwhile to make sure she's hydrating properly.

[SingleFatherofDD]

Everyone so far has given great tips. Also every person and child have different anatomies to their ears. Sometimes the open from the ear to the back of the mouth gets closed off. This is usually caused by some form of blockage and most of the time it is inflammation. Taking sudafed is a good idea but it should be taking for at least two to three days before the trip to clear up the inflammation. Once on the plane they should be reminded to chew or drink while landing. Most of the pressure is caused when the plan is landing as the pressure is increasing. There is some discomfort when taking off because of the pressurization of the cabin but it is not as severe as landing. I don't know if they are still available to purchase but there were ear plugs that had little holes in them which would slowly change the pressure more gradually then with out them. Or you can do it the cheap way and place plastic cups over your ears and ever few moments allow some are into the cups. This gradually changes the pressure also but you look funny doing it.

[reallyitsmema]

I would be very careful about taking sudafed as it causes increased blood pressure and hyperactivity in some people. If you are going to try it, I would do a trial run before you leave home.

 

Drinking water is important on flights. Lollipops can help a lot on take off and landing. I always carried Dum Dums with us when my son was young. I was on one flight where a little girl was crying hysterically because her ears were bothering her on landing. The guy in front of me yelled at the mother to "shut that kid up". I tapped him on the shoulder with a lollipop to pass forward to the girl and you would have thought he was going to punch me. The little girl stopped crying once she got the lollipop, whether it was just because she got candy or it helped her ears, who knows, but the sucking is supposed to relieve the pressure. It shut up the grumpy guy too.

[topspot]

DD and I both have ear issues. We use the ear plugs, but when I was talking with my ENT dr, he said it is best to stay awake during the flight. If you are awake you can keep clearing your ears,(even if you don't feel the need to) but if you fall asleep and then the pressure changes, you might not notice the gradual change in your sleep and by the time you notice a change you're in pain. :eek:

[tkportersat]

Flying used to bother me really bad, so much so that my ears would sometimes hurt for a few days; I also would have trouble hearing. Ever since I started chewing gum during takeoff and landing the problem has been eliminated, so you might have her try that.

 

 

 

quote=Too blessed to be stressed;25566469]My daughter is not looking forward to the flight. It really hurts her ears and mine too. Any ideas. I bought the ear plugs to off set the pressure but it only works if you don't take them out. I really makes it hard to hear a movies or each other. She is 13 years old. She had tubes in her ears and always had problems with ear infections when she was a baby.

 

Thanks,

Tammy

[CanadianTwosome]

These are some great suggestions. Swallowing is definitely one of the best ways to help ease pressure. When my daughter was 3 months, I had to fly with her and it was the flight attendant who suggested nursing her while the plane took off and landed, and it worked like a charm.

 

Something that I do myself along with the swallowing is to use the same technique as you do when scuba diving. Pinch your nose closed and then try to blow air out; you'll feel it in your ears. Even though you're going the 'other way' when you scuba dive, equalization is equalization, and that's what you're trying to achieve. :)

[6rugrats]

My daughter is not looking forward to the flight. It really hurts her ears and mine too. Any ideas. I bought the ear plugs to off set the pressure but it only works if you don't take them out. I really makes it hard to hear a movies or each other. She is 13 years old. She had tubes in her ears and always had problems with ear infections when she was a baby.

 

Thanks,

Tammy

Did you purchase regular ear plugs or Ear Planes? Ordinary ear plugs will not work for this problem. We have many, many ear problems in our family, and find it's the landing, not the take off that's the most uncomfortable time. Suggest you speak with her doctor about using a decongestant before the flight; sometimes they will also prescribe a nasal spray to make sure everything is clear before flying.

 

Even while using Ear Planes, you should be able to hear using headphones. If you are using the plane's headphones, that may be the problem; you're better off purchasing your own.

 

I would rather avoid having ear pain and not hear well myself.

[Onessa]

DD (14YO) has issues with her ears and the changes in pressure. As others recommended, she always chews gum and sips water particularly during takeoffs and landings.

 

Yawning and/or plugging your nose and gently blowing works for some as well.

[sas80]

Bring a bunch of Dum Dum suckers. We usually give our kids one on takeoff and one on landing. We will give them 2 if they need it. As far as sugar goes, my personal rules for things change in situations like these but I always make sure my kids know that 'this is a special thing' so they dont expect to eat dum dum's nonstop any old time.

 

Good luck!

[Too blessed to be stressed]

Wow, what great advice. I will be taking each suggestion. Its good to have multiple ideas to try until we get what works for her. Especially thank you to the medical doctor for the free advice. My daughter did have her adnoids out when she was three. I don't know if this makes a difference.

 

Thank you all,

Tammy

[onthelake]

Also, check with your pharmacist. We had people visiting from France with a three year old who had ear problems. The flight home was going to be ugly! I took the mother to the pharmacist for advice and there were several reasonably priced products that were suggested. You can never be too prepared.

[Too blessed to be stressed]

thanks

[UKBayern]

I used to suffer from terrible ear pains from an early childhood up until in my thirties. The sucking, drinking, yawning, blowing my nose, etc did not help for one bit. I could not hear for days after getting off an airplane. I was first sceptical when I heard of Earplanes, since nothing ever worked for me. They have got air vents that release the pressure gradually. It worked wonders.

 

And you know what the funny thing is? Since I moved house, I have no problems with my ears when flying anymore. We used to live in Amsterdam, Netherlands (literally in the low countries) and now we live up in the mountains. The first few weeks were hell with my ears popping all the time when I was driving over a mountain pass. Now they don't pop anymore and I do not need any tricks when flying, my ears are able to adjust themselves. Not that I immediately suggest moving house with your daughter though...;)

[Too blessed to be stressed]

I had the ear plugs on her last trip, but I don't think we used them correctly. If all else fails read the instructions, right? I wasn't aware you have to wait till the highest altitude before you remove them. And it says to put them back in one hour befor the descent. Is that how you used them? Thanks for the info.

 

Its pretty amazing how our surroundings can effect us.

[mom2two2]

So you basically need to leave the Ear Planes IN? I have terrible pain starting when we begin the descent. I usually cannot hear anything for a couple hours after so I am dreading having a layover next time around. I have tried swallowing, sucking on candies, gum, decongestant and so on and none of it seems to help.

I did develop permanent tinnitus a few years back from a medication I was on at the time and I have found it got worse around that time. I might try the Ear Planes.

[Too blessed to be stressed]

You don't have to leave them in. I guess it depends on the length of the trip. Put them back in 1 hour before landing and don't take them out till the plane has landed and the cabin doors are open.

thats what the directions say.

[Jajone]

I always take sudafed (or some decongestant) at least 1 hour before getting on the plane...and every 4 hours until we land. I've suffered HORRENDOUS ear pain on flights, sometimes, resulting in infections, so I do take precautions. This has never failed me, as long as I keep the decongestant in my system.

DD10 used earplanes and they did not work at all for her. Doc suggested sudafed and gave a prescription for ear drops that were pain killers. That seems to do the trick.

[Ellanora]

My son and I also have severe ear pain on flights. It starts right after take off and remains all the way through to landing. It happened on our first flight together when he was eight, and we flew direct to Jamaica from Orlando. We had brought gum and lollipops, we tried swallowing, blowing our noses, etc - nothing helped. It got so bad that my son (then age 8) just buried his face in my shoulder and cried silently most of the way. I called my family back home before our return flight and my aunt, who is a nurse, told me to take Dramamine, which I was able to buy in our resort gift shop. It did make us both sleepy on our return trip, a two-fer: Jamaica to Miami then Miami to Orlando, but we had zero ear pain, which was a huge relief. We will never again fly without using Dramamine or a similar product - I just could not put my son through that pain again.

 

I do hope you find something that works for your daughter!

[Too blessed to be stressed]

I've got some dramamine on hand for the cruise, anyway.