Cabin pressure

Former Member

Hi,

I'm going on holiday with the gf in a few weeks and she is worried about the flight. She had an operation on her ears when she was younger (i cant remember what the operation or problem was called) and they really hurt if she goes on a plane due to the pressure.
Are there any products available that can stop or reduce this?

Former Member

Boiled sweets.

If it was childhood grommets, she shouldn't have a problem. Anything more serious requires the OK from her GP, unless she has flown before of course.

Former Member

You can get 'flight earplugs' from places like Boots.

Ilora x

Former Member

Kentish wrote:

childhood grommets

Yeah i think thats it. Aparently her ears her a lot more than they would for people without the problem...

Former Member

Ilora-Danon wrote:

You can get 'flight earplugs' from places like Boots.

Ilora x

What do these do?

Former Member

Boiled sweets and/or chewing gum.

Swallowing frequently stops a pressure difference building up in your ears which is what causes the pain.

Former Member

My brother had grommets and whinges about such things, but grommets drop out of their own accord and the problem they are designed to treat - glue ear - is a childhood one. So I don't believe him.

Anyway, she'll just need to keep popping her ears. City airports are worse than remote ones because they come in steeper and so the pressure change is more sudden. Sucking a sweet helps some people to equalise the pressure between the ear and throat, which is the cause of the pain.

Former Member

Further thoughts, the bit of the sucking that makes the difference is when you swallow the saliva that builds up, so sipping water would have the same effect.

Former Member

My dad had an operation on his ears a couple of months before we went on holiday abroad a in 2000 and he was able to fly.

Former Member

I had grommets when I was a kid, not had any problems with pain while flying. I've also had a skin graft onto a perforated eardrum and still gone flying without any pain. I can't see why someone would have increased pain due to grommets though??!

Former Member

icey wrote:

What do these do?

They stop the pressure blocking your ears - you ears don't 'pop' when you wear them. My dad has sinus problems and has to wear such earplugs when flying.

Ilora x