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Summary
Barotrauma means injury to your body because of changes in barometric (air) or water pressure. One common type happens to your ear. A change in altitude may cause your ears to hurt. This can happen if you are flying in an airplane, driving in the mountains, or scuba diving. Divers can also get decompression sickness, which affects the whole body.
Common symptoms of ear barotrauma include:
- Pain
- A feeling that your ears are stuffed
- Hearing loss
- Dizziness
Treatments for ear barotrauma include chewing gum and yawning to relieve the pressure. Medications such as decongestants may also help.
Learn More
- Airplane Ear (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Ear - blocked at high altitudes (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Ear barotrauma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Ears and Altitude (Barotrauma) (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
- Flying and Your Child's Ears (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Scuba Diving Safety (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Barotrauma
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Risk Factors Associated with Middle Ear Barotrauma in Patients Undergoing Monoplace...
- Article: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for prevention of barotrauma in patients with respiratory...
- Article: Respiratory mechanics characteristics at the time of barotrauma presentation in patients...
- Barotrauma -- see more articles
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.