Flying often leaves your ears feeling stuffed or pressurized due to a phenomenon called barotrauma. This happens when the air pressure in your middle ear doesn't match the pressure in the cabin. If you are struggling with that persistent "clogged" sensation after landing, here are the most effective ways to clear your ears and restore your hearing. The Valsalva Maneuver
If Valsalva feels too forceful:
To prevent this in the future, consider using filtered earplugs designed for flying, which slow the rate of pressure change against your eardrum during takeoff and landing.
⚠️ Don't blow too hard! If pain persists, see a doctor.
Sometimes, simply moving the muscles around the ear is enough to break the seal. Try these movements in quick succession: Yawn widely several times. Chew a piece of gum or suck on a hard candy.
Move your jaw from side to side or open it as wide as possible. Mimic the motion of eating or swallowing. Steam and Humidity
If your ears won't pop due to congestion or inflammation, steam can help thin the mucus trapped in your tubes. Take a hot shower or lean over a bowl of hot water with a towel over your head. Inhaling the warm, moist air helps soothe the nasal passages and allows the ears to equalize more naturally. Over-the-Counter Solutions
If you are struggling to clear your ears after landing, give these methods a try:
Landed but feel like your head is still in the clouds? 🙅‍♀️ That clogged, muffled feeling is caused by a pressure difference between your middle ear and the cabin.
Do you have a trick that always works for you? Let me know in the comments! 👇