Home Remedy for Relieving Ear Pressure

Ear pressure can range from mildly irritating to nearly unbearable. Regardless of the level of discomfort, pressure in your ears is something you'll want to get rid of as soon as possible. The most common place to experience this kind of pressure build-up is while riding in an airplane. However, trips on land that involve quickly changing altitude such as driving through the mountains may cause similar results as will diving. There are a few easy home remedies that will make your ears "pop" and return to normal.

Gum

• Chew gum to relieve ear pressure. This flight attendant-recommended solution works well in most cases by involuntarily opening up the Eustachian tube, according to Home-Remedies-For-You.com. The simple motion of chewing usually forces the tube open if it is repeated often enough. Technically, chewing anything would accomplish the same result but since it may take a few chews to work it makes sense to use a product that you can easily chew for a long time.
  Yawning forces the mouth to open wide and may achieve the same results by opening the Eustachian tubes the same way as chewing gum. If you do not have gum and are able to yawn on command, this is a good option.

Valsalva Maneuver

• Perform the Valsalva maneuver to equalize pressure in your ears and prevent the discomfort associated with it. This technique is done by closing the mouth and pinching the nose closed and exhaling, forcing the ears to pop, resulting in relief.
  SCUBA divers commonly adjust their ears during descent into deeper water by using the Valsalva maneuver. The same method works for those in airplanes who experience pressure problems.
  This technique causes a rapid rise and fall in blood pressure and may cause dizziness, blurred vision or fainting in some people, according to HealthLine.com.

Small Children

• For those traveling with very small children the challenge of overcoming ear pressure problems is twice as tough. First, the child may not understand why they are experiencing discomfort and they expect you to fix it. Second, you cannot effectively tell them how to do a Valsalva maneuver or give them chewing gum.
  Even if your child has already broken the pacifier habit, give them one during flight take off and landing. The sucking action will accomplish much of the same results as chewing gum and will keep them occupied during the trip, according to TravelWithYourKids.com. Bottle-feeding can work the same magic.

Decongestants

• While it's not a home remedy exactly, simple over the counter decongestants can be purchased and a dose taken just before you put yourself in a "pressure situation" to relieve pressure in the ears, according to TravelWithYourKids.com. The extra decongesting power of the medicine may be enough to keep your Eustachian tubes open and clear and allow pressure to maintain itself properly. This method can be used even if you aren't congested because of illness, and it should certainly be used if you are flying or diving while ill.