A Remedy for "Ear Popping"

Nothing spoils an otherwise relaxing flight like otic barotrauma, a fancy term for the pressure build-up in the inner ear caused by changes in air pressure. Some only have problems during allergy season or when they have a cold, but plenty of people end up with pain in their ears every time they fly.

It's mostly common knowledge by now that chewing gum and swallowing can help reduce the pressure build-up. The reason the remedy works is that movement of the jaw massages the tissue surrounding the inner ear, allowing for more rapid pressure equalization. Unfortunately, jaw movement is not always enough.

Turns out, however, that there may be a simple pharmaceutical remedy: pseudoephedrine (Sudafed). Yep, the drug that was the topic of the last post may effectively reduce in-flight ear pain in adults. (1)

The moral of this (rather short) story? Next time you're flying with a cold, take 30 mg pseudoephedrine and see if you manage to avoid the nasty ear pain.

(1) Mirza, S. Otic barotrauma from air travel. 2005.