Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Ear pain is a common problem during air travel according to a new survey, but a few simple tips can help overcome it.
Air travel is part of most people's summer vacation and it's not always a trouble-free experience from a health point of view (to say nothing of the stress of delays and overcrowding!). Deafness Research UK has carried out a new survey to find out the most common problems associated with air travel.

Over one third complain of ear pain during a flight, while the second most common problem, reported by 18.8 per cent, is swollen feet or ankles. Nearly 15 per cent have experienced stress, anxiety or 'air rage' during air travel. Deafness Research UK has accordingly issued a series of tips to help flyers with ear pain. They explain that most ear pain is because of changes in cabin pressure that occur when an aircraft descends. These make the eardrum press inward and result in pain and discomfort. Swallow regularly - by sipping water, sucking a sweet, or chewing gum - during the descent and this will normalize pressure in your ears. Young mother Geraldine Googe, of London, says the tips helped her eight year old daughter overcome her dread of air travel. Previously she had cried with ear pain as the plane came down but now sucking a sweet gets rid of the discomfort and calms her down. Using a nasal spray to reduce a blocked nose also proved very helpful.

Source
Deafness Research UK 7th August 2006