I Just Got Tinnitus — Going on My First Airplane Trip in a Few Months

Hello,

I have been on this site quite a few times before developing tinnitus when my Dad was having problems managing his.

Now I have tinnitus from medication I took.

Anyways my question is regarding my first airplane trip in a couple of months.

I have never been on an airplane and I want to know if going on one would damage my ears even more.

Any information on this subject or personal stories would be of great help.

Thank you!

 

Wear earplugs and get some noise cancelling ear phones if youd like. I never traveled before T and I'm going on my 3rd trip here soon. Also try and sit in front of the wings if that's an option.

 

Hi @PrincessZelda! I've been on flights four times since my tinnitus became worse in January, and I haven't really noticed any difference. I use peltor X4A for the whole flight, and I make sure to put them on at once when I sit down in my seat (up until then I use earplugs, but I replace them with earmuffs for the flight itself).

If it's a long flight you might want to get an even better pair of earmuffs (I hear that peltor X5A if more comfortable than X4A), or try noise cancelling headphones (don't have any personal experience with them).

Best of luck!

 

What medication caused your tinnitus?

 

Hi everyone,
Thank you for your help! I will plan to sit in front of the the airplane wings and to wear some good earmuffs.
Also @sky_high my tinnitus was caused from 2 weeks on BuSpar for panic disorder. I also had hyperacusis for awhile but it's much better than it was.

 

Hi @PrincessZelda
You can use earplugs with noise cancelling headphone that makes you comfort throughout the flight as my experienced with no problem . I take out plugs and changed my muff during descending and ascending to equalized pressure in ears. Drink lots of water and lots of chewing gums to help pop up the pressure.

Good luck and God bless ,
Robert

 

My wife took some dB measurements while on a 5 hour flight with Airbus A320.

Take off was 89 dB for 10 minutes, cruising was 83 dB constant.

 

I get a front seat (usually they are understanding and switch me up when I tell them I have an ear issue). I have some pressure earplugs that are good for takeoff and landinng and regular earplugs for the rest. You’ll be fine. Don’t let people scare you

 

Hi, I have had tinnitus for 14 months and have flown 4 times, with absolutely no problems. However, planes are very loud, so sit as far from the engines as you can, and wear good custom ear plugs as well.

 

Last time I flew I wore foam earplugs and my tinnitus was bad only for the remainder of the evening and by the next day i was back to baseline.

 

I strongly suggest booking an aisle seat. I’ve found window seats to be quite a bit noisier.

 

For what it’s worth, I’ve read some articles on the subject that say that flying can affect the middle ear, but not the inner ear.

 

That's from the pressurization of the cabin.