If you live with tinnitus, boarding a plane might cause more than just enthusiasm about your destination– it may also come with worries about intensifying ear symptoms. The loud cabin noise, shifting air pressure, and tension associated with air travel can all add to more extreme or bothersome tinnitus. Luckily, understanding how flying impacts your ears and learning ways to prepare can make your next trip much more manageable.
What is tinnitus and why does it flare up in the air?
Tinnitus is the apprehension of sound without any external source. For some, it presents as a persistent ringing, while other people may hear buzzing, clicking, whooshing, or static-like noise.
Tinnitus is often an indicator of a deeper health problem or hidden condition, including:
- Inner Ear Damage: Exposure to loud sounds or head trauma can weaken the auditory system.
- Ear Infections or Obstructions: Fluid buildup and infections can activate or exacerbate tinnitus.
- Some medications can be ototoxic to the inner ear, triggering or aggravating hearing and balance issues.
- Benign Tumors: Acoustic neuromas are benign tumors that can affect both hearing and balance.
Tinnitus could be subjective (experienced only by the patient) or objective (audible to a clinician through a stethoscope-like device). Air travel can exacerbate symptoms for some people, leading to a more stressful experience during flights.
Understanding airplane ear and its link to tinnitus
The term “airplane ear” refers to the feeling of ears being full, under pressure, or experiencing muted hearing when flying. The issue occurs when the eustachian tubes, in charge of maintaining ear pressure, have trouble adapting to going up or down. Insufficient opening of these tubes might create pressure imbalances to arise, resulting in discomfort or pain.
For individuals with tinnitus, this pressure imbalance can amplify their symptoms or introduce new ones. The stress and sensory stimulation of air travel can exacerbate the issue.
How air travel can intensify tinnitus symptoms
Air travel can aggravate tinnitus symptoms due to various factors.
- Jet Engine Noise: High volume levels inside the cabin, especially near the engines, can aggravate sensitivity in the ears and worsen tinnitus.
- Shifts in Air Pressure: The abrupt shifts in air pressure that occur during flight takeoff and landing can interfere with the normal functioning of the eardrum and nearby tissues, possibly causing or worsening tinnitus symptoms.
- Travel-related stress, coupled with not enough rest or insufficient hydration, can intensify the experience of tinnitus, making it seem more obvious and bothersome.
Travel suggestions for decreasing tinnitus discomfort mid-flight
Taking a few basic actions can go a long way toward easing the strain on your ears during air travel:
- Using noise-canceling headphones can greatly minimize the disruptive sounds of the plane’s engine, particularly during the loud periods of departure and arrival. They also allow you to listen to relaxing music or white noise, which may mask tinnitus.
- Choose Your Seat Wisely: If available, select a seat in the front of the aircraft, away from the engines. This location is generally calmer and better suited for a tranquil journey.
- Avoid Standard Earplugs: Though tempting, conventional earplugs may increase inner ear pressure, making symptoms more severe. Alternatively, think about using plugs that are produced for regulating ear pressure during air travel.
- Chew Gum: To reduce discomfort, try chewing gum or swallowing frequently, as these basic actions can help maintain the patency of the eustachian tubes, promoting a more effective balance of pressure.
- Take a Decongestant (If Authorized by Your Doctor): If you’re battling nasal congestion or allergies, think about taking an oral or nasal decongestant before flying to prevent obstructions in the eustachian tubes.
- Remain Alert During Ascent and Descent: Staying awake allows your body to naturally adjust to air pressure changes. Sleeping during these times can decrease the likelihood of active pressure adjustement.
In-flight distractions and relaxation strategies
Redirecting one’s attention can be a highly effective strategy for coping with tinnitus. Bring entertainment options like audiobooks, soothing playlists, or puzzles to keep your attention elsewhere. Meditation apps and breathing exercises can also help alleviate flight-related anxiety and reduce your awareness of tinnitus.
Prior to your trip, make sure to rest well and stay hydrated. Skipping caffeine or alcohol on travel day can also decrease ear-related symptoms. And if you use hearing aids, don’t hesitate to wear them on the plane– they may help you hear more naturally, decreasing the prominence of the internal ringing or buzzing.
Seek professional guidance if tinnitus interferes with travel
If tinnitus regularly makes flying unpleasant, it’s worth consulting with a hearing specialist. A detailed evaluation can identify the hidden reason for your tinnitus and result in specific suggestions, such as personalized coping techniques or treatment plans, to better manage instances of increased symptoms.
Set up an evaluation for your tinnitus symptoms today.