[Go Blue]

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During a cross country flight, my ears began to hurt from the changing pressure. This is typical for me when I fall asleep and cannot adjust during the descent. I also suffer a temporary loss of hearing that fades slowly as my ears readjust after the flight. When the second leg of this flight reached peak altitude, my ears settled, pain subsided and normal hearing resumed. I planned to stay awake for the descent and to try to directly handle the changing pressure. Instead, I woke up during the last 100 miles of the flight as we passed over Lake Tahoe and were well into the descent. Seven hours later, my ears have not adjusted and when I speak, I hear myself as if I am speaking through a tunnel or water.

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Interesting...I've had that happen to me, but it seems like the one or two times I had that, it was because the plane descended too fast. After arrival, it lasted a few hours, then went away. Before freshman year of college, I had a job where I worked on the 40th floor of a building and took those fast elevators. I never had any problems with the changing pressure but one time, leaving work, I got a HUGE pain in both of my ears from riding the elevator down and couldn't do anything about it. It lasted about two days before it subsided...I have no idea what that was all about. All I did was ride an elevator. In any event, I know there are a few things you can do to help your ears return to normal faster. I can't recall everything but I think being in a warm, steamy environment helps (in other words, a long, hot shower). Maybe someone else can point you to something. Good luck.