Why does chewing gum help with stuffy ears in an airplane?

Many of you must have come across unpleasanta feeling of stuffiness in the ears, which makes flying not the most pleasant pastime. It is believed that this effect occurs due to the large difference between the pressure of the external environment and the human body. If so, what does chewing gum have to do with it, and why does it really help to carry out the flight in a more comfortable state?

Congestion in the ears causes a sharp pressure drop between the pressure inside the body and the environment

Why does the plane lay ears?

As you know, normal atmospheric pressureis usually 760 millimeters of mercury. It is with this indicator that you and I feel comfortable, although some weather-dependent people experience a sharp deterioration in well-being, even with the most insignificant fluctuations in atmospheric pressure. At an altitude of about 3,000 meters, a person may feel unwell due to the fact that atmospheric pressure also changes with a sharp difference in altitude, which negatively affects our cardiovascular system. So, it is known that at an altitude of about three kilometers above the surface of the Earth, the pressure difference inside the cabin and the outside atmosphere is about 0.6 of our usual state. As a result, the ear membrane is compressed, leading to a rather painful sensation.

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Does chewing gum help with stuffy ear?

To help your passengersget rid of stuffy ears, many airlines around the world offer their customers candy and chewing gum. It is believed that certain chewing and swallowing movements that mimic food intake help to expand the lumen of the Eustachian tube, the narrowing of which leads to the appearance of a stuffy ear.

It is believed that the use of chewing gums and candies can improve well-being during the flight.

On average, the use of chewing gum inthe take-off or landing time of the aircraft reduces the adaptation time to low atmospheric pressure to 10-15 minutes. However, if before the flight you managed to catch a cold unexpectedly and your nose suddenly became blocked, then the resulting swelling can aggravate the general congestion of the ears. For this reason, it is strongly discouraged to make long flights in the cold state.

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In case you are still going to flyon air transport, then experts recommend that you stock up not only on sweets and candies, but also on vasoconstrictor substances. Simply put, take a cold drop with you.