June 25, 2020 | Anyone who has ever flown in an airplane knows the feeling, that sudden pressure in your ears that occurs as the aircraft begins to steadily climb during take-off. The condition known as barotrauma occurs when the Eustachian tube in your middle ear is blocked due to altitude or pressure changes, when air cannot be equalized and a vacuum occurs. A common complaint of airplane travelers and divers, the condition is usually only a minor annoyance but it can sometimes lead to significant problems. The Eustachian tube is a thin canal that connects your ear with the back of your mouth. When you swallow, you may notice a small click in your ears. This is a bubble of air being moved through the Eustachian tube. These bubbles are constantly moving into the middle ear, where they balance the ear’s inner pressure. Barotrauma can also occur when a plane is landing or while riding an elevator in a tall building or driving in the mountains.

June 25, 2020 | Ear barotrauma, also known as barotitis media or airplane ear, can occur in one or both ears. It usually amounts to nothing more than a feeling of fullness or stuffiness in your ear but it can also include moderate discomfort or pain and a slight to moderate hearing loss. You may feel the need to “pop” your ears by swallowing or yawning. A severe case of ear barotrauma can cause severe pain, ringing in the ears, a spinning sensation known as vertigo and even bleeding from the ear or ears. The bleeding can mean you have a ruptured eardrum. It can also be caused by scuba diving, spending time in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber or by an explosion, such as the kind that occur in a war zone. It is much more likely to happen to people who have colds, allergies or infections when they are flying. It is very common in children because their Eustachian tubes are narrower than those of adults and become blocked more easily.

June 25, 2020 | Ear barotrauma typically is not that serious and usually responds to self care. Long-term complications like permanent hearing loss or tinnitus can occur when the condition is prolonged or if there’s damage to middle or inner ear structures. If you are uncertain about your symptoms or if your symptoms last a long time, a doctor can examine your middle ear with a lighted magnifying tool called an otoscope to see if the eardrum is pulled inward. Clear fluid behind the eardrum can be difficult to see. If a collection of fluid is not visible, your doctor may squeeze a puff of air into your ear canal. If the eardrum does not move well, you probably have fluid behind the eardrum. A perforated eardrum can be diagnosed by looking at the ear with an otoscope. Perforations of the eardrum often heal on their own, but this can take weeks. If your perforation has not healed after two months, you may need surgery to prevent permanent hearing loss.

June 25, 2020 | There are certain steps you can take to prevent ear barotrauma, or airplane ear, during a flight. First, be sure to yawn and swallow during takeoff and landing. This activates the muscles that open your Eustachian tube. You can suck on candy or chew gum to help you swallow. You can also use the Valsalva maneuver during ascent and descent. Gently blow, as if blowing your nose, while pinching your nostrils and keeping your mouth closed. Repeat this several times, especially during descent, to equalize the pressure between your ears and the airplane cabin. Second, use an over-the-counter nasal spray. If you have nasal congestion, use a nasal spray about 30 minutes to an hour before takeoff and landing. Another option is filtered earplugs. These earplugs slowly equalize the pressure against your eardrum during your flight’s takeoff and landing. However, you’ll still need to yawn and swallow to relieve pressure.

June 25, 2020 | Ear barotrauma can occur during diving from unbalanced ear pressure or a quick descent into the water. Barotrauma in the lungs is much more serious than the ear variation of the condition. It occurs, rarely, in divers who hold their breath, when the diaphragm moves abruptly in a “gasping” effort. The diaphragm is the main muscle used in breathing. This form of barotrauma creates a vacuum in the lungs and can result in bleeding into the lung tissue. It also can occur from diving with a respiratory tract infection. Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath and hoarseness. A more common form of barotrauma in the lungs is caused by the mechanical ventilation systems used in hospital intensive care units to help patients breathe. In this case, air sacks, or alveoli, in the lungs may be ruptured or scarred due to high air pressure within the lungs. Some people cough up blood or develop bloody froth at the mouth when lung tissue is injured.