A passenger aboard a airplane discovered herself in immense ache as her ears started to pop amid the flight’s descent.
Shelby Heiskell, a Kentucky mother and content material creator who posts underneath the username @babygriffin on TikTookay, shared an arguably little-known hack from a flight attendant who knew how to assist her discover reduction from the ear ache she skilled. (See the video on the high of this piece.)
Heiskell and her household had been touring house to Kentucky after spending Thanksgiving in California, and he or she was additionally battling congestion due to a virus she contracted the week earlier than, Heiskell mentioned.
‘FLYING NAKED’ IS THE LATEST TRAVEL TREND DIVIDING THE INTERNET, AND IT DOESN’T MEAN WHAT YOU THINK
“I wasn’t a very experienced flayer,” Heiskell advised Fox News Digital.
“I wasn’t aware that it could be dangerous to fly in such [health] conditions.”
“Upon descending, I felt my ear pop, and it felt like my ear was going to explode. It was excruciating pain that I had never felt before and had absolutely no control over.”
In her video, which garnered 6.1 million views, she described the ache as if her “eardrum was going to explode.”
The ache Heiskell felt is typically often called “airplane ear,” which happens when there’s stress on the eardrum. This may occur when “the air pressure in your middle ear and the air pressure in the environment are out of balance,” in accordance to Mayo Clinic.
PILOT GOES VIRAL FOR REVEALING REAL REASON YOU NEED TO SET YOUR PHONE TO AIRPLANE MODE BEFORE FLYING
“You might get airplane ear when on an airplane that’s climbing after takeoff or descending for landing,” Mayo Clinic’s web site says.
Heiskell mentioned she knew some methods to presumably relieve the disagreeable feeling, from chewing gum to yawning and even holding her nostril and blowing, however finally she discovered no resolution.
“The pain kept increasing, until I had to bury my face into our flight pillow — so as not to cause a scene or scare my son,” she mentioned.
There was a flight attendant on board who noticed how distressed Heiskell appeared and approached her to ask what the issue was.
After Heiskell’s boyfriend defined the ache she was feeling, the flight attendant advised them that “she had just the thing.”
MYSTERIOUS ‘DING’ SOUNDS HEARD ON AIRPLANES MIGHT NOT MEAN WHAT YOU THINK
The flight attendant returned to the couple with a disposable espresso cup containing a “steaming hot, damp washcloth” discovered on the backside of the cup, Heiskell mentioned.
The attendant then instructed Heiskell to place the cup over her ear.
“I am so thankful for that first flight attendant! I swear her trick saved my hearing & my sanity!”
“I almost immediately felt relief,” Heiskell mentioned.
“Although it didn’t solve the temporary hearing loss or actual problem at hand, it soothed the pain and took away the feeling of impending pressure.”
FLIGHT PASSENGERS CAN BE DENIED BOARDING IF THEY DON’T FOLLOW THESE RULES, TRAVEL EXPERT WARNS
Heiskell shared the video on TikTookay, captioning it: “I owe that girl! Apparently, it’s a trick not a lot of people are aware of, because one of the flight attendants on the next plane didn’t know what I was talking about when I ordered one for take off (my ear was still plugged)… so I thought I’d share.”
Heiskell as soon as once more tried the hack on her second flight, describing the “hot cup” technique to the flight attendants.
This time round, the attendants used napkins as a substitute of a sizzling towel, however Heiskell was nonetheless in a position to discover reduction.
After posting the video on TikTookay, Heiskell engaged in dialog with many individuals who mentioned they’d by no means heard of this hack earlier than.
THE FOUR ‘DREADED’ LETTERS ON AIRLINE BOARDING PASSES THAT TRAVELERS SAY THEY NEVER WANT TO SEE
The feedback part was quickly crammed with suggestions from different folks for avoiding the ear “popping” sensation when flying.
“Many suggested [that] flyers take a decongestant or Sudafed 24 hours before flying and then 45 minutes before boarding,” Heiskell mentioned.
“[The social media users] say to use Affirm or Flonase when boarding and to fly with an ear plug product called ‘Ear Planes.’ Also, they said to follow up with taking another decongestant/Sudafed after the flight to save any ear issues after the fact,” Heiskell added.
TRAVELER’S VIRAL FLIGHT BOOKING HACK TO AVOID DREADED MIDDLE SEAT IGNITES DEBATE
Some flight attendants chimed in. They shared their very own tales whereas additionally recommending that oldsters use this hack for infants and toddlers by placing a cup over every ear to assist relieve that stress, mentioned Heiskell.
“I am so thankful for that first flight attendant [on the plane]! I swear her trick saved my hearing and my sanity!” Heiskell mentioned.
“If you’re congested due to cold, allergies or other illness try to talk to your doctor and get treated to relieve congestion BEFORE you fly to prevent it.”
So why does the “hot cup” technique relieve ear stress ache?
First, it is vital to perceive why ears “pop” when ascending and descending throughout your flight, mentioned Dr. Purvi Parikh, a New York-based allergist with the Allergy & Asthma Network.
For extra Lifestyle articles, go to foxnews.com/life-style
“There are changes in ear pressure as flights take off and land that cause pressure outside of the ear to decrease while pressure inside the middle of [the] ear increases,” Parikh advised Fox News Digital.
“To relieve the pressure, your Eustachian tube, which connects the ear, nose and throat opens up to fix this imbalance and causes a popping sound,” Parikh mentioned.
The ache behind the ear stress is a results of the Eustachian tube being blocked from different exterior components together with allergic reactions and infections — with children being extra prone due to having smaller Eustachian tubes.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
Parikh revealed why the “hot cup” technique would assist relieve the ache that comes from the stress within the cabin.
“The steam from the hot towel in the cup likely opened up the Eustachian tube, relieving the pressure and pain. Inhaling steam through your nose would also work too, for the same reasons,” she mentioned.
While Parikh had not heard of this technique particularly, she repeatedly suggests her sufferers use steam as a type of decongestant.
If you end up dealing with ear stress ache whereas flying, Parikh recommends swallowing, chewing gum and even opening and shutting your jaw as a means to alleviate and equalize that stress.
“If you’re congested due to cold, allergies or other illness, try to talk to your doctor and get treated to relieve congestion BEFORE you fly to prevent it,” Parikh added.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“Over-the-counter allergy medications and nasal sprays can help also before you fly to open things up,” she mentioned.
“Finally, filtered ear plugs can also help equalize pressure – but [you] still need to yawn and swallow with them.”