How To Clear Your Ears After Flying ✰

A fake yawn won’t work. Open your mouth wide, drop your jaw, and take a deep, audible yawn. The muscle movement pulls the tubes open. If nothing happens, try tilting your head side to side while yawning.

If the Valsalva maneuver feels too forceful or hurts, try this alternative.

Run a hot shower and breathe in the steam for 5–10 minutes. Or soak a washcloth in warm (not scalding) water, wring it out, and hold it against the affected ear. Heat relaxes the muscles around the Eustachian tube. how to clear your ears after flying

Pinch your nose closed and take several sips of water or simply swallow. This combines swallowing—which naturally moves the muscles around the tubes—with a slight change in pressure to encourage equalization.

This method uses swallowing to open the tubes while the nose is closed. A fake yawn won’t work

Inhaling steam from a hot shower or a bowl of hot water can thin mucus and reduce swelling in the nasal passages.

If you’ve ever stepped off a plane feeling like your head is underwater, you’re not alone. Known medically as or "airplane ear," this muffled sensation occurs when the air pressure in your middle ear doesn't match the pressure in the cabin as you descend. While it’s usually temporary, it can be incredibly uncomfortable. If nothing happens, try tilting your head side

This is the most common method.