while on an airplane, why do your ears hurt when the plane is landing?

Question

a few days ago, i was traveling on an airplane. i wasn't feel well because i hadn't had much sleep (headache, watery nose, etc). and when the plane is preparing to land, my ears hurt so much. why is that? and how to prevent it from happen again or how to reduce the pain?

Answer 1

You have a small air cavity close to your ear that has to do with our sense of balance. The cavity is continually equalizing to the air pressure around us. But if there are rapid changes you will notice it. And a cold or being run down can slow down your ability to equalize. Scuba Divers really deal with this on a larger scale, and it makes it very dangerous to dive with a cold.

So at take off the plane goes up and air pressure decreases. Your ears have to adjust. Then at landing the pressure increases back to normal and you ears have to adjust back.

If problems, try yawning, swallowing, chewing, sucking, and even just concentrating on your ears. Bring gum or hard candy with you. Then there is always the take a deep breath, hold your nose, and then try blow out your nose method.

The problem is worse with children, especially babies. You frequently find babies crying intensely at landing and the poor mother not knowing it is the pressure in the ears.

Yes, when I fly on smaller aircraft the Flight Attendant still comes around with a basket of mints or hard candy just before landing.

Answer 2

There is a huge change in pressure when a plane takes off and lands. Your ears probably hurt because of that combine with already not feeling well. Try chewing gum during the take offs and lands it should help you adjust to the change in pressure.

Answer 3

Atmospheric pressure is maximum at the ground level and decreases as the altitude increases due to rarification of air. So as you are landing to the ground level the pressure on the ear drums increase and you feel hurt. so next time on use the cotton wool supplied in the sachets to block both your ears.

You should also chew the chocolates supplied by the Flight Attendants ( Air hostesses ) to keep your mouth open. These suggestions are given in the safety precautions provided in the pockets at the back of the seat before you.

Answer 4

It is pressure change in the cabin that causes this pain. There are several things you can do buy "ear planes" and use them according to instructions. Also you can buy a small bottle of eucalyptus oil and sniff that while descending ( your fellow passengers may not appreciate it but it helps). Or you can use the old stand by of chewing gum, or sucking on something just becareful not to swallow it and choke.

Answer 5

It is due to the change in pressure. It is worse if you have a cold. Try sucking a boiled sweet. They used to give them out long ago on the plane. Also if you swallow it reduces the pressure. You know how your ears click if you go up a mountain. Happy flying.

Answer 6

Because the pressure drops abruptly as the altitude goes down and the rides get bumpy. that effect is sensitively experienced by our ears.
The best thing is to do is to open your mouth so that the pressure is diffused above. Believe me , there is a scientific reasoning behind this procedure, as we have bben biologically equipped with a mechanism which balances the pressure from our ears whenever we open our earth

Answer 7

well the simple explination is that during take-offs and landings, being in the plane, you move from one degree of pressure to another pretty rapidly. the tiny bones and eardrums being sensitive parts of us sence this change and hence you feel it too during takeoffs and landings.

i know exactly how you feel i hate it and its painful as well as anoying.

chewing gum or sucking on a sweet usually works. also yawning to pop ur ears open. but also try listening to music through headsphones cuz then your eardrums are already vibrating with the music, u dont feel the pressure change; plus it keeps ur ming off it.

hope this helped, its the worst part of flyin' really :)

Answer 8

I have felt my ears pop when the plane is landing many times. With my experience, some things that help are chewing gum, or just swallow and it shouldnt be so bad.

Answer 9

i have the same problem. it's a sinus issue. the pressure is built up and when you are up in the air the pressure level changes in your head - once you start to descend then the compression starts and the sharp, shooting pains take hold (horrid).

my solution - if i am sick or having a horrendous sinus problems - I take decongestant about an hour before going up. It works.

Answer 10

i've allways understood that it's the pressure changes cause first you are so high and then the elevation drops so quickly.. so your ears sort of "lock" and that can hurt. cause the same happens under water too. i may be wrong though about the pressure thing..