# What was that pain in my ears? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 17, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-pain-in-my-ears/348780 "2006-03-17T17:11:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Canadiangirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Canadiangirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadiangirl)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-pain-in-my-ears/348780/1 "2006-03-17T17:11:18Z")
Recently flew to Merida, Mexico for holidays (yes, it was very nice, thank you). When we were descending into the airport, I got a terrible pain in my ears then when the pressure finally went, it sounded like I was talking and listening in a tube. Stayed like that all week. I had a cold before I left - could it be sinuses? No problem descending in Pearson, Toronto. But my hearing is still not as good as it was - no pain, but still hollow sounding. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-pain-in-my-ears/348780/2 "2006-03-17T17:32:47Z")
In my experience, it’s either Shania Twain or Celine Dion being piped in over the cabin speakers. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-pain-in-my-ears/348780/3 "2006-03-17T17:47:25Z")
That happened to me once – I’ll never fly with a cold again. Having nasal blockages, the change in pressure forces mucus up through the eustachian tube and into the ear. With me, I had intermittent deafness in that ear for at least two weeks, maybe three – and then things sorted themselves out. I didn’t go see a doctor, because I was busy, and an idiot. I’m so glad it didn’t turn into a nasty infection a mess up my hearing permanently. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-pain-in-my-ears/348780/4 "2006-03-17T17:48:52Z")
Your ears, my friend, went unpopped. This happened to me on a long-ago flight to Florida and I was banging the side of my head with my hand for a day or so afterwards. Solution: chew gum, or keep swallowing convulsively, on your next flight. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-pain-in-my-ears/348780/5 "2006-03-17T18:04:09Z")
Dear Lord, you’ve put up with that for how long?? I start going crazy if I can’t fix that immediately. ---
**Author:** ![cabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@cabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cabdude)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-pain-in-my-ears/348780/6 "2006-03-17T18:34:09Z")
IANAD, but I think you should see one soon. The eustachian tube is supposed to allow pressure to equalise and also allow fluid to drain from your middle ear. If the fluid stays in your middle ear too long it can cause an infection and permanent damage. [http://www.medicinenet.com/eustachian\_tube\_problems/article.htm](http://www.medicinenet.com/eustachian_tube_problems/article.htm)