Okay, right now my left ear is blocked and it’s driving me bananas. This happens a lot since I live about 1,200 ft above sea level and I drop down to near sea level getting to work everyday. So I’m online looking for ways to pop my ear and I come across this one.
Aerotitis, aka “blocked ear,” is very painful and takes place when an ear does not adjust to the airplanes pressure changes. It is often experienced by passengers with colds and ear infections.
The following steam/heat remedy usually clears the blocked ear in seconds.
1. Place an airline paper cocktail napkin in the bottom of a small wax-coated drinking cup (found at galley and lavatory drinking water dispensers).
2. Add boiling water from a galley hot-water spigot covering the paper napkin. If you quickly pour off the water, the napkin will steam.
3. After you are sure you have drained off every drop of hot water, tip your head and place the little cup with hot steaming paper over your ear. Pain eases in moments as the steam reaches your eustachian tube.
I don’t get it. Are you supposed to tip your head so the cup is on top of your ear? It doesn’t seem like that would work since steam rises. If you’re going to hold the cup under your ear why bother to dump the water out? Help a brotha out.
August 15th, 2006 at 9:02 am
Been there, done that. Had a really bad cold when flying from San Fran to Montreal one time.
Tip your head toward the cup. Removing the water 1.) creates the steam, from the napkin and 2.) prevents you from scalding yourself should there be turbulance etc on the plane. 3.) since you aren’t on a plane it might not matter, depending on how clumsy you are
August 16th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
Maybe it’s the fact that the wax-coated cup contains the steam so that it can’t escape. The water is drained so you’re not pouring boiling water into your ear but at the same time, you’re maintaining the heat because the only place it has to go is your ear. Hell, I don’t know…I’m just making this up.