How to Treat Airplane Ear

Airplane ear is a condition you get when you're on an airplane and have problems with your ear due to the air pressure. Airplane ear causes extraneous pressure or discomfort in your ears. It usually happens when the cabin is losing a bit of pressure or when the plane is descending. When you have airplane ear, you can treat it yourself.

Instructions

• 1

  Take a nasal decongestant spray that you spray in your nose. Spray the decongestant immediately when you start to feel the discomfort in your ears. You should spray the decongestant in your nose, inhaling the decongestant. Spray it 4 times in each nostril.

• 2

  Take an oral decongestant or antihistamine. These are over-the-counter medications that you can buy in any drug store before your trip. Airplane ear is a congestion in your ear and nasal cavities, so the decongestant or antihistamine should do the trick.

• 3

  Visit your doctor or pharmacist to obtain a prescription of antibiotics if you have an ear infection. Antibiotics can take care of your severe case of airplane ear if necessary.

• 4

  Have surgery on your ears to treat your airplane ear in very rare cases. If antibiotics still aren't opening up your eustachian tube, your doctor might have to perform surgery. During the procedure, your physician makes a cut in your eardrum to drain any fluid caught in there.

• 5

  Have your eardrums permanently draining if you get airplane ear frequently. Your doctor may decide that the best route is to put tubes in your eardrum to improve drainage and equalize the pressure between your outer and middle ears.