Frequent fliers, anyone have ear pain/ pressure issues?

[tekmantwo]

Hi all....I'm hoping I can find some help here..

My dear Denise is flying to Utah soon(Jan 9) and I am trying to find a solution to her ear pains during flights...

The last time we flew together, Nov 1, she had such severe pains that she was uncontrollably sobbing until it passed...this is very painful to her, and quite distressing to me....I'm a fix-it type guy and I could do nothing to help her:crying:....

I know there are ear plug type things that are supposed to help, I just need to know what to get---I cant buy them all but they all claim to work.....you know how that goes--

Any suggestions?........she is really looking forward to this trip, her only daughter is having her first child and Gramma wants to be there---><

Thanks, and much Christian love to you all............

[betlee]

Seems simple but has she tried chewing gum or swallowing to help with the pressure?

[tekmantwo]

Yep, she tried all that. I was rubbing her neck, down where the tubes are below the ears, trying to get things better but nothing worked...

It only lasted about 15 minutes or so but it was a very intense pain and that was a very long 15 minutes.....

She tried swallowing, plugging her nose and blowing, anything else that either one of us could think of to equalize the pressure...nothing helped...

She told me that she has had the problem before, she just is always hopeful it wont happen again and so she has never done anything preemptive....I dont roll that way so if there is something, I will find it---

[Joey]

I always take alot of Benedryl...because it helps with allergies and makes me really sleepy

which is how I like to be on a plane ...I just read some take pseudofed type medicine,a nasal decongestant.

And the earplugs.I haven't tried those.

[pinkpopcorn]

Tim I googled this and found this info.

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/ear-barotrauma/overview.html

http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/conditions/ent/0501/0501-get.pdf

http://www.drugstore.com/earplanes-earplugs-flight-ear-protection/qxp12445?catid=184434&aid=336064&aparam=airplane%20ear%20pressure&scinit1=airplane%20ear%20pressure

Hope this helps your wife!!

[grammydaisy]

Brother, I travel very often and used to have this problem. I do use chewing gum occasionallly but have found that the best solution is to have adequate water intake prior to and during the flight and to take Sudafed to ensure my sinus cavity does not have any congestion. I am not an expert on this - just a frequent traveler. Contact your ENT or Nutrapath at least 1 week prior for their professional guidance.

[LuanaGlobal]

A sister in the car group spoke of this very thing. She said " A shot of benadryl, the allergy medication, has helped her not have the ear pain. Because it shrinks the tissue by drying it up a bit."

We spoke of this because my ears were a popping as we descended off the mountain that day.

Hope this can help you out.

[tekmantwo]

Thank you all very much...it is greatly appreciated...

Denise read all the replies and is confident she can handle the problem this time---thanks for your research, your time, and your love---

and Margaret,welcome to the sand box!....