airplane ear
 

my ears plugged up -- painfully -- after descending to about 10,000ft yesterday and they won't pop. i've tried the swallowing, the chewing, the yawning and the decongestant. nothing is working.

i even tried holding my nose and closing my mouth and blowing. i blew so hard that i felt air coming out my eyes! didn't work.

i've also tried patience but that's wearing thin.

any other ideas?

Did you have a cold when you left?

nope.

I have no other ideas....I'd go to the dr. I wonder if you blew out an eardrum?

I had this happen once, but it was combined with congestion. It lasted as long as the cold/congestion did (a week or so) and it was miserable! I know that's not helpful, but I've been there and can appreciate how much it sucks.

ty, guys.

i wondered the same thing osuche but i think it'd be all leaky if i did. as a kid, i used to have tubes in my ears and whenever the pressure built up enough to rupture the drum (cause the tube was blocked or whatever) there was always oozy gunk comming out of my ears. i got no ooze and no gunk, just wubba sounds and ouchies.

the pain is getting less at least. i'll go to the doc when they start to bleed...as long as i have the time :p in the mean time, i'll just keep blowing air til it comes out my eyes and od-ing on decongestants. :D

Sometimes these things can be psychosomatic. :rolleyes2 I think you were on the right track with the breathing and swallowing. I want to think inhaling. Suck the air in and swallow. Sucking and swallowing… sucking and swallowing … suck, swallow, ...suck, swallow…suck, swallow….suck, swallow... suck, swallow.....



I hope that thought helped you as much as it did me. :bj:




;)

<<< Objects in ^^^ window may dumber than they appear >>> :roflmao:

All seriousness aside, have you tried gargling with warm salt water? My doc recommended that for my last ear infection (about 25 years ago)...

I think you might have to wait it out. I've often had painful popping 'pon descent & it would sometimes take upwards of a week to feel better.

I hope you feel better soon.

Blowing out an eardrum is pretty painful, if you aren't experiencing any pain most likely isn't it.


may have some kind of fluid behind the ear-drum if its muffled

thanks for the tips guys! :x:

lmao, scotz

Have you tried using a hangar? :p

ear stuff
 

Nurse Wanda puts in her two cent's worth.
(Stretching and sleepily rousing herself from the after affects of a long, WONDERFUL night)

First, DON'T BLOW!! If the Eustachian tubes (the passages connecting the space behind the ear drums and the back of the throat) are swollen shut, (caused by colds and allergies) you will just force more air into the space behind the eardrum which will increae the presure and it hurts more.

Try Afrin nasal spray. Or Neosynephrine if you prefer. Keep chewing gum and yawning. These are the most effective, quick way of opening the Eustachian tubes. Also steaming, (sitting in a hot, steamy shower) will help too.

If you feel air coming from the ducts in your eyes your tympanic membranes (eardrums) are likely OK, but if this keeps on much longer, GO TO THE DOCTOR. There might be an infection.

Good luck

that's a departure from sane behavior.



thanks for the nursey advice wanda!

i'd go out and get some nasal spray right now but the breaks in my car went tonight. we were on the way home from the mall and i was carrying some pretty precious cargo. eek and double eek. luckily, i'm an incredibly amazing driver. plus the emergency break doesn't need any fluid to operate. :p:D i'm so cheap i'm going to wait for my husband to get home and fix the leak instead of paying some schmuck 75$ an hour. this way i can afford the afrin. :D

SEE! ^^^ :D I wouldn't stere you wrong. Don't blow.. Suck! :p