Flying and Air Pressure — Tips for Hearing Protection on Flights

I'm hoping to attend a couple of conferences in the coming months but need to fly internationally (yay, but also, nay!).

My inclination would be to wear earplugs and earmuffs for the duration of the flight; not remove them at all so as not to dramatically alter pressure in the ears. I wore just earplugs for two ten-hour flights last year and had no discomfort (beyond being alone with the noise!). My tinnitus and accompanying hyperacusis have changed dramatically since then, however, so I'm looking to protect a little more diligently.

Not sure how to account for pressure differences during ascent and descent; would wearing ear plugs throughout the flight be better than wearing them intermittently?

Thank you for your time, everyone, as always.

 

You should wear Earplanes or Alpine FlyFit earplugs; they help to regulate pressure. I'm a pilot, so I wear them under my headset for every flight.

 

@Spirriz, thank you for your feedback.

I am also very interested in this subject because i have an ear condition that makes my ears extremely vulnerable to changes in pressure. At this point I'm not so concerned about the noise that can be very efficiently killed with noise-cancelling headphones as I am about the pressure issue.

Do those earplugs really make a difference? I've read about them but it's good to hear the opinion of someone who uses them on a regular basis.

 

I don't have any advice, but am very glad that you asked about this. I was considering flying when I move from Arkansas to South Carolina because the train is a long trip and there are two changes of trains. Flying is just a few hours and much less money. But the train sounds safer for my hearing. Flying has been a problem w/ my tinnitus in the past, what w/ the drops in air pressure and the noise from taking off and landing. It's been 7 or 8 years since I've been on a plane, and maybe that last time really should be my last time.

I'm sure @Spirriz knows his stuff since he's a pilot, but in matters of my tinnitus, between the train or the plane, I'm going w/ the train.

 

They do, my ears are very sensitive to pressure change, and I don't think I could fly without them. If I'm a passenger on a flight, I'll wear EarPlanes under some headphones and take a Sudafed 20 minutes before take off, and I'll use a nasal spray like Flonase when we start to descend (when I'm flying a plane, I don't like to take medication). Funny enough, I decided to test out just wearing foam earplugs under my headset, and it was very uncomfortable. Also be sure to consult with an ENT before you fly since I'm not a doctor

 

I just had two 9-hour flights and had no problems with deep inserted foam earplugs during ascent or descent. I wore them from the airport all the way to the hotel room. Just open your mouth, chew gum and see that your ears equalize. Noise-canceling headphones over them also eliminate the low hum of the plane.

However, my tinnitus is on the milder side, so your reaction may be different.

 

Do you have hyperacusis too @Spirriz, or tinnitus only?

It's amazing you are able to fly as much as you do being a pilot. Would you say your tinnitus is mild to moderate, or severe?

I may be taking a short flight next month. I have sound reactive tinnitus.

I have high protection custom molded earplugs that my audiologist has said I can fly in as they will regulate pressure, and will be taking my ear defenders too.

I haven't flown since tinnitus and reactiveness onset so am concerned.

 

Thank you, I've checked the reviews and they are good.

May I ask what kind of ear issues are you dealing with? Tinnitus?

 

I also have reactive tinnitus, and my tinnitus for the most part is mild. I think I have given myself hyperacusis by overprotecting my ears, I can't even drive without earplugs anymore. As for piloting, I haven't been training as much since the onset of my tinnitus I was just about to become a flight instructor, and then I got tinnitus So I really only fly 3 times a month now just to stay current. Also when you do fly, try to avoid regional jets like the ERJs and CRJs, they are pretty loud (especially if you're in the back). Try to get on an Airbus since they are quiet!

Mostly ear fullness that comes and goes in both ears for no reason most of the time.

 

My standard procedure for flying with hyperacusis + tinnitus is:

- Earmuffs and foam earplugs when boarding (until sitting on the plane)
- Once inside the plane, remove the earplugs and use earmuffs for the whole flight
- After landing, put earplugs and earmuffs to get off the plane until you are inside the terminal

Take into account that the noisiest part of the journey may be boarding and getting off a plane which has already started up engines, when you are taken by bus to the plane. If you board through a jetty it will me much better, way less noisy but any minute you spend on the airfield, with planes taxiing around, taking off and landing. That can be very noisy, and actually handling personnel are all wearing earmuffs.

 

I am amazed that you have reactive tinnitus, hyperacusis and aural fullness yet can still go to work, let alone fly a plane every week or so!

Is it loudness hyperacusis you have?

 

How did you get tinnitus?

 

I think it's more phonophobia than hyperacusis since I don't really have pain; it's more ear fullness when I have a "loud" noise exposure.

I think loud noise, I used to play video games for hours at 80% volume, and I wasn't too strict with hearing protection near airplanes. But my hearing test is normal, and my tinnitus is very somatic. Funny enough around a year before I got tinnitus, I realized that all this noise was bad and lowered my headphones volume dramatically and wore earplugs around aircraft (sometimes earplugs and earmuffs). I still ended up with tinnitus