Barotrauma

Barotrauma occurs when there is a rapid change in pressure between the outer and middle ear, commonly referred to as "airplane ear". It happens when the eustachian tube fails to equalize pressure effectively, often during flying, diving, or sudden altitude changes.

The middle ear is an air-filled space that connects to the back of the nose via the eustachian tube. When pressure isn’t balanced between the middle ear and the outer ear canal, discomfort or even injury can occur.

This condition is more common in individuals with narrower eustachian tubes, such as babies and young children.

Symptoms

  • Feeling of fullness in the ear
  • Muffled hearing
  • Acute ear pain
  • Ear popping
  • Dizziness
  • Temporary hearing loss
  • Ruptured eardrum (in severe cases)

Treatments

  • Use filtered ear plugs when flying to help regulate pressure and reduce pain.
  • Over-the-counter remedies like decongestants or antihistamines may help.
  • Try the Valsalva manoeuvre: pinch your nose and gently blow to open the eustachian tube.
  • If symptoms persist for more than a week, seek medical advice to rule out infection or eardrum rupture.
  • Minor perforations often heal within a few months with antibiotics to prevent infection.
  • Severe or recurring cases may require grommet surgery to regulate pressure in the ear.

FAQs

Try the Valsalva manoeuvre—pinch your nose and gently blow to reopen the eustachian tube and release pressure from the middle ear.

It typically resolves shortly after the pressure normalizes but can last weeks to months if a middle ear infection develops.

Flying, scuba diving, and exposure to explosive blasts are the main causes of ear barotrauma.

It can be if it causes a ruptured eardrum. If you notice blood or fluid from your ear, seek immediate medical attention.

Hearing loss is usually temporary. The eardrum can’t vibrate properly when pressure is uneven but returns to normal once pressure is equalized.

Yes, in most cases it resolves once the pressure in the middle ear is normalized, such as after landing or surfacing from a dive.