The fastest way to unclog your ears after a flight is to pinch your nostrils shut and gently blow through your nose, holding for no more than five seconds. This is called the Valsalva maneuver, and it forces air up through the tubes that connect the back of your throat to your middle ear, equalizing the pressure that built up during descent. If that doesn’t work on the first try, there are several other techniques and remedies that can help, and most cases of post-flight ear clogging resolve within minutes to hours.
Why Your Ears Clog During Flights
Your middle ear is a small, air-filled space behind your eardrum. It stays comfortable because a narrow passage called the Eustachian tube connects it to the back of your throat, allowing air to flow in and out to match the pressure around you. Every time you swallow or yawn, that tube briefly opens and equalizes the pressure on both sides of your eardrum.
The problem happens during descent. As the plane drops altitude, cabin pressure increases rapidly. If your Eustachian tube can’t open fast enough, the higher outside pressure pushes your eardrum inward, creating that familiar feeling of fullness, muffled hearing, or sharp pain. This is a form of barotrauma. It’s more likely if you’re congested from a cold or allergies, because swollen tissue can partially block the Eustachian tube.
Three Pressure-Equalization Techniques
These maneuvers all work by pushing air into your Eustachian tubes from the throat side, popping them open so the pressure can equalize.
Valsalva maneuver: Pinch your nostrils closed and gently blow through your nose with your mouth shut. You should feel a soft pop or click in one or both ears. Don’t blow hard, and don’t hold the pressure for more than five seconds. Blowing too forcefully can damage delicate membranes in the inner ear.
Toynbee maneuver: Pinch your nostrils closed and swallow. The swallowing motion opens the Eustachian tubes while pinching your nose directs the pressure change toward your ears. This is a gentler alternative if the Valsalva feels too forceful.
Frenzel maneuver: Pinch your nostrils, close the back of your throat as if you’re about to lift something heavy, then make a “K” sound. This pushes the back of your tongue upward, compressing air against the openings of your Eustachian tubes. It takes a bit of practice but is effective and low-risk.
Try each technique a few times with a pause in between. If one doesn’t work, move on to the next. You can also simply yawn repeatedly or chew gum, both of which open the Eustachian tubes naturally.
What to Do If They Stay Clogged
If the maneuvers above don’t fully clear your ears, the tissue around your Eustachian tubes is likely swollen, and you’ll need to reduce that swelling before air can flow freely. A nasal decongestant spray containing oxymetazoline (sold as Afrin and similar brands) can shrink the mucous membranes and help the tubes open. Spray it into each nostril, then wait 10 to 15 minutes and try the Valsalva or Toynbee maneuver again. Don’t use decongestant sprays for more than three days in a row, as they can cause rebound congestion.
A warm compress also helps. Place a warm, damp washcloth or a heating pad on low over the affected ear. The warmth can relax the tissue and encourage the Eustachian tube to open. Put a thin cloth between any heat source and your skin.
Drinking water and swallowing frequently throughout the hours after your flight keeps the Eustachian tubes working. Avoid sleeping right after landing if your ears are still clogged, because you swallow far less often during sleep, giving the tubes fewer chances to open.
What Not to Do
If your ear feels seriously blocked with pain, dizziness, or ringing, do not keep aggressively trying to equalize. Repeated forceful blowing can make things worse, particularly if the eardrum or inner ear membranes are already strained. Avoid rapid head movements, and don’t put any drops directly into the ear canal. If the eardrum is intact, drops won’t reach the middle ear where the problem is. If it’s ruptured, drops can cause additional damage.
Helping Kids and Babies
Young children can’t perform equalization maneuvers, so you need to trigger swallowing instead. For babies, nursing or offering a bottle during descent (and again after landing if their ears still seem bothered) is the most reliable approach. Make sure the baby is sitting upright while drinking. A pacifier also encourages swallowing.
Children over three can chew gum or suck on hard candy. Older kids and teens can try a gentle version of the Valsalva: breathe in slowly, then lightly pinch the tip of the nose and exhale through the nose with the mouth closed. Have them repeat it every few minutes during descent. Keeping kids awake for takeoff and landing helps, because they’ll swallow more often. If your child consistently gets ear pain when flying, giving a dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen about 30 minutes before descent can reduce discomfort.
Preventing It on Your Next Flight
Most post-flight ear clogging is preventable with the right timing. Start swallowing, yawning, or chewing gum as soon as the plane begins its descent, not once your ears already feel full. If you’re flying with any nasal congestion, use a decongestant spray about an hour before takeoff. On longer flights, spray again an hour before the expected descent.
Stay hydrated throughout the flight. Dry cabin air can thicken mucus and make it harder for the Eustachian tubes to open. Drink water steadily rather than waiting until you’re thirsty.
Nasal balloons, sold under brand names like Otovent, are small balloons you inflate by blowing through one nostril. They work by forcing air up through the Eustachian tube, similar to the Valsalva but in a more controlled way. Clinical trials in the UK found that people using nasal balloon devices had significantly better pressure equalization compared to those who didn’t: one study showed improvement in 65% of ears after just two weeks of use, versus 15% improvement without the device. They’re inexpensive, available without a prescription, and easy to pack in a carry-on.
When Clogged Ears Signal Something More Serious
Most post-flight ear clogging clears within a few hours. If yours lasts more than a day, or if you notice significant pain, hearing loss, ringing, bloody drainage, or dizziness, the pressure change may have caused a more serious injury like a ruptured eardrum. Even severe injuries like a burst eardrum usually heal on their own, but they need professional evaluation to confirm there’s no complication. Persistent symptoms that don’t improve with the self-care steps above are worth getting checked.