You might be dreading your upcoming air travel due to frequent problems with your ears when you fly. Flying can be painful for many people due to changing air pressure. To make sure that you can enjoy a hopefully pain-free flight and to mitigate the symptoms of airplane ear, here are some top tips that you should follow to look after your ears before and after travel by air.

Get Ear Wax Removed

Any wax build-ups in your ear can add to the pressure put upon your ears during flight. This can lead to an excessive amount of pain that can make your flight incredibly uncomfortable. To make sure that there is not too much wax in your ears before take-up, you should consider getting an ear wax removal procedure performed, especially if you often struggle with wax build-ups. During this procedure, your wax will be removed using a syringe, and this is especially useful for those with narrow ear canals or those with a large amount of hair within their ears. This means you should look around for a reliable ear wax removal service near you that can prevent you from having to worry about your ears when you are next going on vacation or a business trip.

Get Hard Candy

Before many people get on a flight, the first purchase they will make is hard candy or chewing gum. These products can encourage you to swallow more often than usual and can help you to do so, which can alleviate the problems that your ears are facing and sort out the air pressure in your ears. However, if you do not have any hard candy at hand, you can achieve the same effect by forcing yourself to swallow or by yawning as often as you can, which might be incredibly easy if you have taken a late-night flight.

Use a Decongestant

If you are looking for a medical way to prevent your ears from popping and causing you disruption during the flight, you should consider taking a decongestant. This can be especially useful if allergies or an infection such as a cold is worsening your airplane ear. However, if you are using a decongestant, you should be aware that these can dry out your mouth and leave you with a sore throat. They may also be dangerous to take before you fly if you have a health condition, such as heart disease.

Get Headphones

You should also consider investing in headphones or earplugs before your flight. They can help to stop unequal air pressure from affecting your ears during take-off or when you land. They will also help you to have a more enjoyable flight overall, as they can prevent you from being overwhelmed by the different noises that you might notice on a plane, including the noise of other passengers. This can be particularly good if you struggle with flight anxiety, if you often get sensory overload, or if you are planning to sleep or watch a movie for the duration of your flight. Then, headphones can stop you from being disturbed in more ways than one.