The ears play an important role in your overall sense of the world around you, which can make life miserable when your ears are in pain, whether due to infection or air pressure changes during airplane travel. You have various options to deal with ear pain, ranging from natural remedies to medications.
Step 1
Take an over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help reduce ear pain.
Step 2
Chew a piece of sugarless gum to help reduce pressure in the ears and relieve ear pain associated with altitude changes. Chewing gum helps return the pressure in your middle ear to normal. Yawning may also help reduce the pain associated with altitude changes.
Step 3
Wrap a cold pack in a towel and place it against your outer ear for 20 minutes to help reduce pain, recommends MedlinePlus. Use a washcloth soaked in cold water if you do not have a cold pack or if a cold pack is too cold and uncomfortable on your skin.
Step 4
Put prescription ear drops such as antipyrine-benzocaine into the ear. Lay your head down with the affected ear facing up. Warm the bottle of ear drops up in the microwave, being sure not to heat it up too the point where it can cause burns. Drip the prescribed amount of drops into the ear. Keep the affected ear up until the medicine has time to reach deep into the ear.
Things You'll Need
- Over-the-counter pain reliever
- Prescription ear drops
- Sugar-free gum
- Cold pack
- Towel
