Nurse shares cup hack to stop plane earaches that people 'wished they knew earlier'

June 2024 · 2 minute read

Summer is on the horizon and Scots will be planning to jet off to sunnier spots for some much needed relaxation.

But for many, flying can be an unpleasant experience, especially for those who suffer from in-flight earaches. The pain is caused by the sudden change in pressure and can even put people off getting on a plane.

There are many home remedies for the issue, like sucking on sweets, blowing your nose and listening to music to help alleviate pressure. But one nurse has shared a more quirky but effective hack, after sufferers complained previous "cures" didn't work.

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Known as The Ear Nurse on social media, the specialist regularly shares advice for ear and sinus issues. In a TikTok video, she revealed how to keep the pain at bay with two plastic cups and some paper towels.

After the tip went viral, the expert decided to demonstrate it while on a flight, sharing the clip with her 83,000 followers.

In the video that's garnered 65k likes, @the_ear_nurse began: "Earaches while flying sucks. I'm gonna show you the earache hack in real time.

"Ask your flight attendant for two plastic cups with hot paper towels, trust me they will know exactly what your asking for. Put these on both of your ears, causing an air tight seal."

She then places the two plastic cups containing the towels, which are steaming due to warmth, against her ears.

"The steam helps stabilise the pressure in the middle ear, it's all to do with barometric pressure," she explained.

"When the plane rapidly climbs or descends, it changes the pressure so quickly that the Eustachian tube often can't keep up. It can be used on adults and children."

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Viewers flooded to the comments section to express their gratitude, as many had previously suffered extremely painful symptoms on flights.

One person wrote: "OMG! I have mild hearing loss and I get lots of ear infections thank you Soo much, but sadly I had to suffer while having bleeding ears."

"Thank you for sharing!! I had ear pain so bad once I cried now I’m scared to fly," said another. While a third penned: "I wish I knew this years ago, the pain I suffer on flights, thank you."

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