Many of us have been in an airplane, so you most likely know the feeling of flying. It is such a different feeling to be up in the sky and see the clouds as your plane gets through; however, riding a plane may not be totally free of discomfort. Nausea, giddiness, and air pop are some of the common discomforts of riding a plane. The most interesting among these three is air pop, which is sometimes mistaken as tinnitus, so let us know some things about it.
Air pop is a result of imbalanced air inside and outside the ears. When it occurs, the pressure is being equalized by the eardrum through expanding or contracting. It produces popping or crackling sound in the ears, and it is sometimes being associated with tinnitus. But in reality, tinnitus and ear popping are not the same. The first is the result to exposure of auditory sense to loud sounds from outside sources while the latter is a way of adapting to air pressure change.
Ear popping is a usual occurrence to travelers riding in an airplane, especially the ones who are not adapted to it. Nasal condition like clogged nose, and falling asleep during take off and landing can aggravate the air popping. These are the times when the air pressure is changing rapidly. It is one of the reason why babies cry in the airplane during landing and take off/.
Apart from air pressure differential, fluid in the ear also causes them to pop, when there is even a slight change in pressure. Fluid in the ear presses the eardrum causing the ear to crackle and pop. Ear popping is also caused by the clogging of the Eustachian tube, which connects the back of your throat to the inner ear. This is usually due to an infection to the throat or sinus. It restricts the ability of the inner ear to react with air pressure changes, which can cause a great deal of discomfort.
Ear pop cannot be avoided during airplane journeys. You can however eradicate the problem simply by wearing earplugs that will block out air entering the ear passage. Take a decongestant a few hours before travel. Chewing gum will also alleviate the problem. Yawning and swallowing is the easiest and best means of removing the problem and can be done whenever you feel the pressure start to build. Lastly, there is the Valsalva maneuver, which involves shutting your mouth and pinching the nose while breathing out. This is what scuba divers do when affected by swimming underwater. Not all these symptoms though are the cause and effect of tinnitus.
Air pop is a result of imbalanced air inside and outside the ears. When it occurs, the pressure is being equalized by the eardrum through expanding or contracting. It produces popping or crackling sound in the ears, and it is sometimes being associated with tinnitus. But in reality, tinnitus and ear popping are not the same. The first is the result to exposure of auditory sense to loud sounds from outside sources while the latter is a way of adapting to air pressure change.
Ear popping is a usual occurrence to travelers riding in an airplane, especially the ones who are not adapted to it. Nasal condition like clogged nose, and falling asleep during take off and landing can aggravate the air popping. These are the times when the air pressure is changing rapidly. It is one of the reason why babies cry in the airplane during landing and take off/.
Apart from air pressure differential, fluid in the ear also causes them to pop, when there is even a slight change in pressure. Fluid in the ear presses the eardrum causing the ear to crackle and pop. Ear popping is also caused by the clogging of the Eustachian tube, which connects the back of your throat to the inner ear. This is usually due to an infection to the throat or sinus. It restricts the ability of the inner ear to react with air pressure changes, which can cause a great deal of discomfort.
Ear pop cannot be avoided during airplane journeys. You can however eradicate the problem simply by wearing earplugs that will block out air entering the ear passage. Take a decongestant a few hours before travel. Chewing gum will also alleviate the problem. Yawning and swallowing is the easiest and best means of removing the problem and can be done whenever you feel the pressure start to build. Lastly, there is the Valsalva maneuver, which involves shutting your mouth and pinching the nose while breathing out. This is what scuba divers do when affected by swimming underwater. Not all these symptoms though are the cause and effect of tinnitus.