Took a plane for the first time... excruciating pain in my right ear+hearing loss... normal?

Question

for around 20 mins, i had terrible, TERRIBLE pain in my right ear in the plane... was so busy with the pain that i did not ask for a piece of warm cotton to put in my ears... after i got off the plane and for the next 24 hours after that i was almost completly deaf in that ear!

-now, almost a week later, i have a ringing/resonating sound in that ear and it JUST started yesterday...

-SHOULD I SEE A DOCTOR???? or is this normal????

Answer 1

I would go to a doctor. The first time I flew I could hardly hear for 7 hours after we landed. And the 2nd trip I had the severe pain and they gave me a foam cup with a hot paper towel to hold over my ear and I could hear after that trip so it helped. Some people it doesn't bother that much. Keep drinking fluids (if they offer pop take the can not just a cup) and I ate cereal on the whole flight back and that helped & the cup too. The gum and just swallowing didn't help for me. I think it depends on how high you fly as on a small plane home once it was not bothered.      

Answer 2

Ear pain associated with flying is due to the failure of the eustacian tube (the structure between the middle ear and the throat-- it drains the middle ear space) to open to normalize air pressure.

Eustacian tube opening has the sensation of "ear popping". This occurs when cabin pressure is not the same as atmospheric pressure. One's ears are still adjusted to atmospheric pressure upon takeoff, then the pressure should equalize to cabin pressure while flying, then equalizes to atmospheric pressure upon landing.

The ear pain happens when suction in the middle ear happens when the eardrum is sucked toward the middle ear space and the eustacian tube doesn't open. Because the eardrum is in that taut state, it can't conduct sound well; hence, the hearing loss.

I would consult an ENT because the ringing has started. I think it's prudent because you have a history of reduced eustacian tube opening (the ear infections kids get are because their eustacian tubes get stuck because of the goo in the middle ear.)

Rining ("tinnitus") can be a sign of permanent hearing loss, but not always. See an ENT.

Answer 3

Hey there. It is normal for you to get pain in your ear when you fly. It happened to me before and the reason it happens is cause of the depressurization or increase of pressure to keep it at standard pressure. Having symptoms a week after you have been on a plane is a little worrying --- what might have happened is that you got a perforated eardrum while the pressure was being changed. It is supposed to heal by itself,  but maybe you should go see a doctor just to be 100% sure that what might be wrong. Hope I was helpful. Check out the link to maybe make a self diagnosis:

Answer 4

Well, it's normal for a plane ride to cause pain in your ear and cause ringing, especially if you've had ear problems in the past. I grew up having ear infections and had surgery to get tubes in my ears 3 times. And yes, whenever I go on a plane, my ears kill, especially when taking off and landing. However, the problems planes cause your ears usually end an hour or so later.. And it's almost a week later for you, so yes I would have it checked out.

Answer 5

I've flown plently of time and while I've occationally felt pain/pressure in one or both ears it never continued for too long. I would definitely see a doc. It sounds more like an ear infection or maybe even a ruptured ear drum to me. Yes see a doc