Your ears are not only the organs through which you hear but they also assist you in maintaining your balance. However, they are also subject to various health problems. There is a small tube called the eustachian tube that connects the back of your nose to your ears. The purpose of the tube is to provide ventilation for the middle ear.
Although it is generally closed it does open when you blow your nose or when you yawn. Then it is possible for microorganisms to transit through this tube into your ear and cause an infection. Very often when you have a cold or if your have an allergy the lining of your nose swells. This may block the eustachian tube and cause ear infections.
One function of the eustachian tube is to balance the pressure between your middle ear and the outside of your ear. When you have a eustachian tube that is blocked by a cold, allergy, or infection you are highly susceptible to barotrauma. This is an injury to the ear that is caused by changes in barometric air pressure. This can happen while scuba diving or in flying during the landing. The symptoms are usually mild. You feel pressure in your ear and a blockage. However, symptoms can also be severe such as dizziness, fluid accumulation, and bleeding and intense pain in the middle ear. The eardrum can even rupture.
There are various treatments for barotrauma. One is to take a decongestant pill an hour before your flight. At the same time you should use a decongestant spray. Use both dosages as recommended until your plane has landed. During the flight you need to drink liquids but avoid use of alcohol and caffeine. You should also be sure to be awake when the plane is descending. During this time try yawning, vigorously chewing gum, or sucking on hard candy.
If none of these strategies work, use the Valsalva maneuver to pop your ears. To perform the Valsalva maneuver, first take a breath and then pinch your nostrils so they are closed. Then close your mouth and gently blow as if you were blowing your nose to relieve congestion from a cold. When you feel your ear pop, stop. Do this very gently; otherwise you re in danger of rupturing your eardrum.
If after diving or flying, you experience intense pain for several hours or any drainage or bleeding, you should contact your doctor immediately. You should also see your physician if you have milder symptoms that continue for a few days.
Doctors recommend that people not scuba dive or fly in an airplane if the have an ear infection as they could get barotrauma. There is an easy test you can perform to see if you can fly or dive safely without discomfort. Ride an elevator to the top of a tall building. Then ride back down. On the way down try the Valsalva maneuver. If your ears do not pop, it is not safe to fly or dive. If performing the test causes pressure or pain, ride back up and descend several floors at a time. That will give the pressure in your ears an opportunity to equalize.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")