Can I Fly 2 Weeks After Tinnitus Onset?

Hi!

I have been having tinnitus for a week now and I got it when I was a 12 hour flight away from home. I got some initial treatment here, but I was wondering if it would aggravate it to take a flight back in the second week from the onset of tinnitus. It will be a direct 12 hour flight, but I can acquire some sort of hearing protection according to your recommendations.

 

Is it an Airbus plane? Will you be able to sit towards the front of the plane in the middle of the plane, or at least in an isle seat? Will you be able to get Peltor muffs or Bose noise cancelling headphones? Having 3M foam earplugs would also help.

 

Do you by any chance have a link to those Bose noise cancelling head phones you are talking about?

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Bose-QuietComfort-Acoustic-Cancelling-Headphones/dp/B00M1NEUKK/

 

If there would be a problem my guess it would not be the noise, I have never experienced too much noise in an airplane and using earplugs would definitely protect enough. I think the pressure changes would be more scary to me.

 

Chew gum on landing and takeoff to equalize the pressure in your ears just in case you have a bit of Eustachian Tube Disfunction and the pressure change is messing with your ears. Chewing gum keeps your ear holes opening so pressure doesn't build up.

 

If you use ear plugs, do not use them during take off or landing unless they are Airplanes earplugs or similar. Only use them once the plane reaches cruising altitude.
Over ear protection is fine.

 

You could get these 3m peltor tactical electronic muffs, I love mine: https://www.amazon.ca/Peltor-Electr...TF8&qid=1528922802&sr=1-1&keywords=peltor+500

they play music decently and are excellent for protection.

 

@Alue flies a lot and says that he uses plugs during take offs and landings, and never has any problems. I had never read about anyone trying it and getting a spike as a result.

 

I wouldn’t risk it with the air pressure changes and a fully occluded ear canal. It could cause issues with the ear drum. Why do you think airplanes plugs have a hole through them? To equalise the pressure.

 

Alue wrote

It is difficult to know what to make of it. I guess it makes sense to not take any chances...

 

You equalize through your Eustachian tubes, not your ear canal. Your ear drum is sealed. There may be a little air/space between the outside of your ear drum and the earplug, but that's about it.

I have asked my ENT about this as well.

I wear foam earplugs while flying from takeoff to landing and have never had a problem. I make sure to wiggle my jaw to equalize during takeoff and landing. When I do take my earplugs out after landing I am careful to take them out slowly while twisting in case there is some small pressure difference.

 

What aircraft are you flying?

 

Yes, that is true you do. But if you have your ear canal plugged and there’s a pocket of air between it and the ear drum, it can be an issue because it’s going to be at a different pressure to your middle ear and external air pressure. Usually you equalise your middle ear via ETs and your unplugged ear canal is at the same pressure as the cabin already.
Having been a scuba diver earlier in life I personally would not risk any possible issues. I also wouldn’t take the advice of an ENT unless I know they are good. Too many bad ones out there.

When you are wiggling your jaw, it is most likely breaking the airtight seal, thus allowing equalisation.

 

That's why I said there may be a little air/space between the outside of your ear drum and the earplug. Foam earplugs aren't exactly an airtight seal either. Although they probably do slow down pressure changes.

I was a scuba diver too...

I still take advice of professionals over random people. I trust this ENT and he wasn't the only one I've asked.

Yes, that's why I do it. Note that I have the earplugs in the whole time so I still am seeing a pressure differential between the outside of my ear drum and the inside as my ears crackle / pop when I do it.

I was concerned about it too at first, but I have lost count of the number of flights I've been on in the past year and I've never had any issues.

 

Up to you what you do. I already said what I think. It’s clear you equalise your ears anyway. If you sat there and did nothing, or were asleep, it might be different.

I wouldn’t call some/most ENTs professional. They can be very careless and ignorant. They usually just say stuff to get the patient out and the next one in.

 

How long do you think I should wait?

 

I have to fly back home at some point. At what point do you think its on the safer side. I've never had too much trouble flying before in terms of my ears. I yawn and move my jaw a lot .

 

I think it should be an airbus.

 

These are the quietest aircraft. If you wear some hearing protection, it won't even feel like you are being exposed to any noise.

 

Boeing 777 engines are noisy.

 

If it were asleep it might be different whether or not I was wearing earplugs. I'm not sure what that has to do with it. When is the last time you've flown, and what is your procedure with protecting your ears while flying?

That's good, airbus is generally the quietest airline out there, the bigger the plane the better (with airbus). If it's a 12 hour flight it may be an A380 which is by far the quietest passenger air plane out there.

Yes they are, and it pisses me off that all US airlines have stopped flying the A380 and instead fly with the Boeing wide body jets (777s and 787s).

 

How bad are 787?

 

Well, just pointing out that foam ear plugs aren’t advisable on take off or landing unless you make sure to equalise, as you do. Someone who doesn’t know that might think they are safe all the time without doing anything.

I flew on a 777 in December and an A380 in January. Both 7hr flights. The A380 was very quiet but the 777 was utter torture. I used airplanes on take off and landing and then switched over to foam earplugs and nc headphones at cruising altitude on the 777. On the A380 I only wore airplanes on takeoff then the nc headphones, often switching them off for periods of time. Such a great plane.
I won’t fly another Boeing again if I can help it.

Does anyone know if other airbus planes are ok?

 

Airbus 359 was great.

Check out
http://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=774273

 

I have worn ER-25 earplugs every flight I’ve been on since T. Worn these at takeoff and landing and never really had any problems.

Only spike I got was a long haul to Miami, sitting near the engines on a very noisy flight.

Sit near the front and wear earplugs and earmuffs and you’ll be fine

 

Have you had any experience with Airbus A319?

 

I haven't flown in one yet, but I've heard they can be kind of loud. https://talkingpointz.com/the-787-dreamliner-parts-5-6/

A lot. They're not bad, but it's better to be sitting in front of the engines. If you are in the front, landing is going to be the loudest part, but that lasts less than 10 seconds.

 

Thanks a lot! I am glad that they are not horrible. I had been worried that narrow-body planes might be awful. And thank you for letting me know about the landing.

Depressing...

 

I measured the upper deck of an airbus and it was in the 60’s. If my memory is correct I believe the average was around 68dB. It was the quietest airplane cabin I’ve ever been in.