3 Ways to Relieve Ear Pressure on a Flight

Reader’s Digest recently published a story titled “42 Everyday Fixes to Survive Basically Anything.” It’s full of practical information and worth reading, but one fix stood out as particularly relevant for travelers: “How to survive clogged ears on a flight.” I’ve had experiences on flights myself in which my ears felt like they were going to explode, usually when I’ve had a cold. I would have loved to have had the info below descending on those flights:

“There are actually three ways to correct the problem, each named after the doctor who developed it:

• The Valsalva maneuver: Take a deep breath, pinch both nostrils shut with your fingers, close your mouth, and attempt to exhale through your closed nose. Don’t be overzealous with this maneuver, as there is an off chance you could rupture an eardrum.
• The Toynbee maneuver: Pinch your nostrils shut and close your mouth while swallowing. (This might take a try or two.)
• The Frenzel maneuver: Pinch your nostrils shut and make a k sound.”

Have your own, safe way to relieve ear pressure? Share in the comments below!

Related:

• A Great Product for Skiers That Get Altitude Sickness
• This New Wristband Provides Relief From Motion Sickness
• What to Tell Your Doctor If You Feel Sick After Traveling

____________________________________________________________

Have your own tip? Email it to whitney@johnnyjet.com!
Want to see more tips? Click here for all 1,477!

Want even more travel tips? Sign up here for the Daily Travel Tip newsletter! Just fill in your email address and check the Daily Travel Tip box—and you’ll have Johnny’s best tips, straight to your inbox each day!

If you already subscribe to our weekly newsletter, you can sign up on the same page. Just fill in your email and check the Daily Travel Tip box on the same page and you’ll receive an email with a link to update your JohnnyJet.com preferences. On that page, just click the Daily Travel Tip box and Update Profile.