Sore ear and due to fly

[Bagofmaltesers]

Late last night I started to get a sore ear. I’m due to fly to a European city later this morning. Will be setting off from home at 6.30.am. I can hopefully see a doctor when I get there, but does anybody have any advice about flying with a sore ear?

I flew with a mild cold and it perforated my eardrum. Landing was hell. Was almost screaming with pain for the last 15 minutes of the flight. Afterwards lost my hearing in one ear, and had pain for the next few days before hearing returned and it got better.

You might be fine if your sinuses are not blocked (this is what makes the pressure worse than usual), but take plenty of chewing gum and look up exercises to relieve pressure in your ears. Hope it's not too bad!

Thank you for replying, Emilia35. . I will look up exercises for relieving ear pressure and I’ll buy some chewing gum at the airport. Your experience sounds awful. I really appreciate your suggestions.

I would take decongestants before and during the flight.

Thanks, Dudsville. I will take your advice.

Advice from ENT doctor was to use Otravine before I fly. I suffer badly from sinus complications when flying. It works very well.

Also the Boots sinus decongestant tablets are to botch & available behind the counter at boots in the airports.

I used a combo of these successfully on 6 long haul flights recently.

To botch = top notch

Thank you to all who gave advice. I did everything suggested (exercises, chewing gum, otrivine and decongestants) and am now at my destination. My ear was not as sore as I thought it would be so your collective wisdom certainly seemed to help.

Hurray!