[sujunew]

I am flying up to the chn's hospital at the other end of the country on Saturday morning...about 37 hours away and counting...and I have major earache. I have been told it sounds like a bad ear infection so I booked in with the doc (1st and only appt I could get is 3.15pm tomorrow), and I am so worried about the pain that I am likely to experience. It is bad enough on this flight (and it takes 2 planes to get there), but with 2 young chn in tow who also have a few issues when landing I am starting to get extremely anxious. Does anyone know of any way to help out sore ears on a plane? I am considering dosing up well with codeine before I go...and getting as much help as I can from my wonderful/helpful/caring/understanding doc!!

[InACorner]

i dont know if your getting an earache from flying or you have an earache and are going to fly...if you are getting an earache from flying read the passage i wrote below if you already have an earache and are trying to deal when you fly then all i can say is see what the doctor says Good luck!!!

well i dont know if this will help at all...but i dont think its an ear infection....see due to pressure if your ears dont "pop" and change with the pressure it builds up in your ears ..which is why so many people chew gum or yawn as they are taking off and during the flight...i went to Greece and my ears didnt pop on the way back..i dont know why...i ended up having an extremely painfly earache.....i kept touching it and grabbing it and on half the way home from the airport to the house i slept on it thinking it would help ...i dont know why.....so what i did was i turned the painful ear up and slept on my other side and when i woke up the earache was gone..that was like about an hour drive (less than that but rounding it out of course...) but im not a doctor im just telling you of my expeirence...and if you have to young children with you im not sure dosing up on codiene and doing all the important stuff is exactly appropriate in those conditions and atmospheres....im not exactly sure the effects of codeine since im allergic to it....however any drug that may remotely influence you in anyway should be avoided (except for doctors orders of course) so you have a sharp as a tact mind while taking care of your children and trying to board planes that we all know changes their gate numbers at the last minute....i would bring packets of gum and another way to test yourself is if you yawn or pretend to yawn and you hear a pop or crack of some sort in your ears thats your ears adjusting to pressure ...if you feel it practice it......that way while the plane gets ready to take off as it starts getting faster you need to start doing that...i have been riding planes since i was 3 no kidding....but if it doesnt go away then i suggest you look at seeing a doctor.

[Abby]

I don't know what symptoms you have and if it is an ear infection you will soon be told by your dr and given anti-biotics. But i wanted to mention that sometimes ear pain can be caused actually by toothache. Odd i know but just a thought.

If it is an ear infection you will need to be careful going on a flight because as mentioned in the post above, air pressure changes during the flight and fluid behind the ear means the ear drum may not be able to equalise the air pressure between the external and middle ear - causing pain.
Ear aches is painful - sorry!

[Perna]

The pain is caused by uneven pressure on the two sides of your eardrum. Earplugs for before you take off, so no more/less air can get in/out (and thus be uneven) helps.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/colum...grossman_x.htm

[Rhapsody]

Good Old Chewing GUM will do the trick...... just keep a piece in your mouth at all times while the plane is in the air - and dont forget to CHEW IT _

[sujunew]

thanks everyone. I flew yesterday and it wasn't too bad. The doc said it ws an OUTER ear infection and gave me antibiotic cream to rub on. I found the vibration from the plane the worst part. I'm soooo glad it wasn't an inner ear infection. I fly several times a year and have never had an ear infection on any flight before, although I do often get associated problems from the pressure and ears not popping. But I am sitting here smiling, very pleased that it all turned out ok (well, besides the fact that while all our flights were booked, we arrived at Ronald Mcdonald House to find no bookings made whatsoever, with the house full...I get to share the smallest room with a double bed with both girls...1 on a mattress and the other in bed with me...still, that's nothing major!)
Thanks again