New Delhi: For most flyers, the familiar sensation of ears popping during take-off or landing is little more than a brief inconvenience, quickly forgotten once the plane touches down. While most dismiss that muffled, underwater feeling as a fleeting nuisance, a growing number of travellers are finding that their ears never truly “land”.‘Airplane ear’ or ear barotrauma is frequently ignored by flyers who assume the discomfort eventually dissipates on its own. This, however, can be dangerous. When the Eustachian tube — the body’s natural pressure valve — fails to equalise during rapid altitude changes, it creates a vacuum in the middle ear. By waiting it out for weeks or months, flyers risk transforming a temporary blockage into chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction, a condition that can lead to fluid accumulation, retraction of the eardrum and, in severe cases, permanent hearing loss. With many cases now being reported, and following a recent study, doctors caution that what many dismiss as a harmless nuisance can, if ignored, quietly progress into a serious and sometimes irreversible hearing problem. “The biggest risk is people normalising the discomfort,” says Major Dr Rajesh Bhardwaj, senior ENT specialist at MedFirst Clinic of Vasant Vihar. “They assume it clears on its own and continue living with dull hearing or a sense of fullness for weeks or even months. By then, a temporary problem can evolve into the dysfunction.”This was evident in the case of Sai Abhiram, a 21-year-old Delhi resident, whose routine flight triggered a months-long struggle with muffled hearing. What began as ordinary post-flight ear blockage never resolved on its own. Over time, the pressure imbalance led to his right eardrum physically retracting — a clear sign of prolonged internal stress. Despite multiple consultations and standard medication, the symptoms persisted, affecting both his hearing and daily life.“For months after my flight, it felt like I was living underwater,” Abhiram recalls. “Every conversation sounded distant, like a radio stuck between stations. The pressure was constant and exhausting. I tried everything, but nothing worked.”The turning point came when doctors identified a chronic blockage of his Eustachian tube and recommended a minimally invasive procedure known as Eustachian tube catheterisation and dilatation. The technique works by physically widening the narrowed tube, restoring its natural ability to equalise pressure. Unlike traditional surgical approaches, it requires no external incision and offers rapid relief. In Abhiram’s case, the improvement was immediate. “The moment my ears cleared, the clarity was overwhelming,” he says.Advances in ENT diagnostics play a crucial role in identifying such cases early and accurately. Specialists now rely on nasal endoscopy to directly visualise the Eustachian tube opening, impedance audiometry to assess middle-ear pressure and eardrum movement, and dynamic CT scans that evaluate how the tube functions under pressure in real time. According to Bhardwaj, these tools help pinpoint why the ear refuses to clear — be it due to inflammation, anatomical narrowing or functional collapse. Doctors stress that timing is critical. “If ear blockage persists for more than one week after a flight, it is no longer just an ‘airplane ear’,” the doctor warns. “That’s when medical evaluation becomes essential. Early diagnosis can prevent months of discomfort and lifelong hearing damage.” Preventive measures, experts say, can make a significant difference. Travellers are advised to avoid flying with active cold or sinus infections, use doctor-recommended decongestant sprays before descent when necessary and seek prompt ENT consultation if the condition does not resolve within seven days. “Prevention is always better than surgery,” Bhardwaj says. “Ignoring persistent ear blockage may be far more than a moment of discomfort — it can cost you your hearing.”
