The most effective way to prevent ear pressure when flying is to keep your Eustachian tubes open during takeoff and landing, when cabin pressure changes most rapidly. These narrow tubes connect your middle ear to the back of your throat, and when they can’t open fast enough, pressure builds on one side of your eardrum, causing that familiar stuffed, painful feeling. The good news: a few simple techniques work well for most people, and you can combine them for even better results.
Why Your Ears Hurt on Planes
Your middle ear is a small air-filled space behind your eardrum. It connects to the outside world through your Eustachian tube, which runs from the middle ear to the back of your nose and upper throat. Normally, swallowing or yawning briefly opens this tube, letting air flow in or out to keep pressure equal on both sides of the eardrum.
When a plane climbs or descends, the air pressure in the cabin changes faster than your Eustachian tubes can adjust. This creates a pressure difference across the eardrum, stretching it inward or outward. Descent is usually worse than ascent because the increasing cabin pressure pushes the eardrum inward, which can press the Eustachian tube shut and make it harder to equalize. That’s why the last 20 to 30 minutes of a flight tend to be the most uncomfortable.
Three Techniques That Work During the Flight
Swallowing and Chewing
Swallowing activates the muscles that pull your Eustachian tubes open. Chewing gum is the easiest way to keep swallowing throughout takeoff and descent. Sipping water or sucking on hard candy does the same thing. Start before the plane begins climbing or descending, not after your ears already feel blocked.
The Valsalva Maneuver
Pinch your nostrils closed, keep your mouth shut, and gently blow through your nose. This creates a small burst of pressure in your throat that pushes air up into your Eustachian tubes. It’s the most commonly recommended technique, but there are two important caveats. First, blow gently. Forceful blowing can raise fluid pressure in your inner ear and potentially damage delicate membranes. Second, if a pressure difference has already locked your tubes shut, this maneuver may not work. Equalize early and often rather than waiting until your ears are fully blocked.
The Toynbee Maneuver
Pinch your nostrils closed and swallow at the same time. Swallowing pulls the Eustachian tubes open while your tongue compresses air against them. Some people find this more comfortable and effective than the Valsalva, especially during descent. You can alternate between the two to find what works best for you.
Using Decongestants and Nasal Sprays
If you’re flying with any congestion at all, whether from a cold, allergies, or chronic sinus issues, your Eustachian tubes are already partially swollen or blocked. This makes equalization much harder and significantly raises your risk of ear pain. The Mayo Clinic recommends avoiding flying with a cold or sinus infection when possible.
When you do need to fly congested, a decongestant nasal spray used about 30 minutes before takeoff and again 30 minutes before landing can shrink the tissue around your Eustachian tubes enough to let them function. Oral decongestants work too but need to be taken 30 minutes to an hour before the flight to kick in. Avoid oral decongestants if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, a heart rhythm disorder, or are pregnant. People with allergies should take their regular allergy medication about an hour before the flight.
Pressure-Regulating Earplugs
Specialty earplugs designed for flying contain a small ceramic or silicone filter that slows how fast pressure changes reach your eardrum. They don’t block the change entirely. Instead, they delay maximum pressure by roughly seven minutes, giving your Eustachian tubes more time to catch up. In pressure chamber testing, people wearing these earplugs reported noticeably less discomfort compared to flying without them, even though they still needed to equalize about the same number of times. Brands like EarPlanes are widely available at pharmacies and airports. They’re a good passive layer of protection to combine with active techniques like swallowing and the Valsalva maneuver.
Keeping Kids Comfortable
Young children and infants can’t equalize on command, which is why they so often cry during descent. The key is encouraging swallowing. For infants, breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, or offering a pacifier during takeoff and landing promotes the swallowing action that opens Eustachian tubes. Older toddlers can sip from a cup or eat a snack.
One of the most overlooked tips: don’t let your child sleep through takeoff or landing. Children swallow far more often when they’re awake. Waking a sleeping toddler is no fun, but it’s better than the screaming that comes from intense ear pressure. Give them plenty of fluids throughout the flight to keep swallowing frequent. For children prone to ear pain, a dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen about 30 minutes before takeoff or landing can help take the edge off, or you can use a children’s nasal spray following the package instructions.
Timing Matters More Than Technique
The single biggest mistake people make is waiting until their ears already hurt. Once pressure has built up enough to lock the Eustachian tubes shut, none of these techniques work nearly as well. Start swallowing, chewing gum, or doing gentle Valsalva maneuvers as soon as the plane begins its descent, not after you feel the first twinge. On most flights, the captain announces the start of descent about 20 to 30 minutes before landing. That’s your cue.
During ascent, the process is usually easier because expanding air in the middle ear naturally pushes the Eustachian tubes open. Still, chewing gum from the moment the plane starts rolling helps prevent any discomfort during climb.
When Ear Pressure Becomes Barotrauma
Mild stuffiness that clears within a few minutes of landing is normal. But if you experience sharp pain, significant hearing loss, ringing in the ears, or dizziness that persists for hours after a flight, you may have ear barotrauma, which means the pressure difference actually stretched or damaged the eardrum or surrounding tissue. This happens more frequently in people who fly while congested. Most cases resolve on their own within a few days, but persistent symptoms, especially hearing loss or fluid draining from the ear, warrant a visit to a doctor. Repeated barotrauma on frequent flights can cause lasting damage, so finding a prevention routine that works for you is worth the effort.