Barotrauma Airplane 〈99% Original〉

| Timing | Action | |--------|--------| | | Avoid flying if you have a congested cold or ear infection. Use a decongestant nasal spray (e.g., oxymetazoline) 30-60 minutes before descent (consult your doctor). | | During ascent | Swallow frequently, chew gum, or suck on a hard candy. | | During descent (most critical) | Do not sleep. Perform the Valsalva maneuver : Gently pinch your nose, close your mouth, and try to exhale softly (like blowing up a balloon). Repeat every few minutes. | | For infants | Encourage bottle- or breastfeeding during descent. The sucking/swallowing action helps equalize pressure. |

As an airplane ascends, cabin air pressure decreases; as it descends, pressure increases rapidly. The Eustachian tube (a narrow passage connecting your middle ear to the back of your throat) normally equalizes this pressure. If the tube is blocked—due to a cold, allergies, sinus infection, or even just sleeping during descent—the pressure cannot equalize. This creates a vacuum in the middle ear, pulling the eardrum inward or outward. barotrauma airplane

What is it? Barotrauma is physical tissue damage caused by a difference in pressure between the inside of your body and the outside environment. During airplane travel, this most commonly affects the ears (otic barotrauma) and, less frequently, the sinuses. | Timing | Action | |--------|--------| | |