Flying can be uncomfortable at the best of times, so flying with tinnitus can increase your anxiety about travelling. Many people who suffer from tinnitus worry that the noise within the aircraft will worsen their condition.
You may have feelings of anxiety prior to flying with tinnitus, but there is no reason why, with the right precautions, you couldn’t have an enjoyable flying experience. Let’s take a look at some tips to help manage your tinnitus when flying.
Drink plenty of water before and during the flight to help maintain the health of the mucous membranes in the ears and nose.
If possible, avoid certain substances like alcohol and caffeine. These can dehydrate you and potentially affect your mood and sleep, and therefore have an impact on your tinnitus symptoms, so it’s best to avoid them before and during your flight.
Choosing a seat away from the engines towards the front of the plane, can reduce the level of noise exposure. Try to book ahead of time.
While it might be tempting to wear earplugs to drown out aircraft cabin noise, this can actually make tinnitus seem worse as the tinnitus can become the dominant sound when background noise is eliminated. Noise levels in the cabin are typically around 80-85 dB and with more advanced landing gear fairings, descent and takeoff noise has reduced to 75–80 dB(A) (Orikpete et al., 2024). This is safe!
Instead, listen to music or watch the inflight movies to help take your focus away from your tinnitus. Using open headphones like Shokz can be beneficial for managing your tinnitus during the flight. They can be a valuable tool for reducing the impact of engine noise and cabin chatter. By cancelling out ambient sounds, they can help some individuals manage their tinnitus more effectively.
Yawning and swallowing frequently, chewing gum or sucking on a boiled sweet can all help activate the muscles that open the eustachian tubes. Inducing the tell-tale ‘pop’ that indicates the pressure has been balanced. These methods are used by many people, even those who do not suffer from tinnitus, to help alleviate ear pain during flights.
Try to avoid travelling when you have a cold or flu. Not only is it thoughtful not to spread germs to other passengers, upper respiratory infections can make it more difficult for your eustachian tube to work properly.
Stress is also closely associated with tinnitus, so practice techniques to help you relax and reduce stress during your flight. Mindfulness, meditation, slow breathing and progressive muscle relaxation are all techniques you can use during a flight.
Being awake and actively managing ear pressure during the plane’s descent can also be important, as this is when the most significant pressure changes occur. This will avoid any painful wake-ups.
While flying with tinnitus can be uncomfortable, it is possible, particularly if you plan ahead and put measures in place to reduce the symptoms while you fly. If you’re concerned about your hearing or flying with tinnitus, feel free to contact us.
We can help you explore ways to make your flight as pleasant as possible.
