How To Pop Your Ears Safely: 8 Tips And Remedies

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Medical News TodaySubscribeHow to pop your ears: Nine natural methods

Medically reviewed by Nicole Leigh Aaronson, MD, MBA, CPE, FACS, FAAP — Written by Nicole Galan, RN — Updated on January 22, 2024

Methods
Medication
What happens?
Tried everything?
FAQ
Summary

There are various things a person can try to pop their ears. These include yawning, swallowing, and chewing gum.

Ear barotrauma is the medical term for the sensation of the ears feeling full or clogged and needing to pop. It usually happens when a person is sick or changing altitude, such as when they are flying on an airplane, driving up a mountain, or descending at the beginning of a scuba dive.

This article explains ways to pop the ears. It also goes over what happens when a person pops their ears.

How to pop the ears

person trying to pop their ears — Chalabala/Getty IMages

Popping the ears helps to open the eustachian tubes and regulate the pressure in the middle ear.

There are many strategies people can use to help pop their ears safely and effectively.

Yawn

Yawning helps to open the eustachian tubes. Try forcing a yawn several times until the ears pop open.

Swallow

Swallowing helps activate the muscles that open the eustachian tube. Sipping water or sucking on hard candy can help to increase the need to swallow.

Valsalva maneuver

If yawning and swallowing do not work, take a deep breath and pinch the nose shut. Keeping the mouth closed, try to blow air through the nose gently. This is called the Valsalva maneuver.

It is best to be cautious when performing this maneuver because there is a small risk of rupturing the eardrum.

Toynbee maneuver

To do the Toynbee maneuver, pinch the nose closed and close the mouth, then try swallowing. Having a mouthful of water may make it a little easier.

Frenzel maneuver

To perform this maneuver, pinch the nose closed and use the tongue to make a clicking or “K” sound.

Chewing gum

Chewing gum helps increase swallowing because it stimulates saliva production. Also, the chewing motion can also help to open the eustachian tubes.

Tips when flying

While flying, it is important to avoid sleeping during the descent and landing. It is more likely for the ears to become clogged at this point and infrequent swallowing during sleep may not be enough to clear them.

For infants and babies

Infants sometimes find it difficult to clear their ears, as they are not able to intentionally swallow or pop their ears.

Feeding (either at the breast or with a bottle) or providing a pacifier can help the baby suck and swallow in order to clear their ears. This may mean waking the baby during descent to avoid later discomfort.

Try special devices

There are devices available that can help to clear the ears. These are especially useful for people who are not able to use or perform the above maneuvers safely or effectively.

There are three types of devices:

Air-pressure regulating earplugs: These special earplugs claim to help regulate the flow of air from the environment into the ear. It is not clear whether they are truly effective, but they are inexpensive and risk-free.
Otovent: The Otovent and similar devices mimic the motions used in the Valsalva maneuver. To use it, insert the nozzle into one nostril. At the other end is a deflated balloon. Pinch the open nostril closed and blow up the balloon using the nozzle in the first nostril. This device can be helpful for children or other people who are not able to use the Valsalva correctly.
EarPopper: The EarPopper is a prescription device that can help open the eustachian tubes. It works by inserting the device into one nostril, closing the other, and pushing a button. The device releases small puffs of air through the nose and into the eustachian tubes.

Medication

Some people take a decongestant when they fly. Decongestants come as pills, sprays, and liquid.

Taking the medication 30–60 minutes before take-off or landing can help shrink the mucous membranes in the nose and eustachian tubes, making it easier to clear the ears.

What happens when the ears pop?

Inside the ears is a small tube, known as the eustachian tube, which connects to the throat. The eustachian tube helps drain fluid from the ear and regulate air pressure between the nose and ears.

Swallowing opens that tube and allows a small air bubble to move from the nose and into the ear.

Most people notice a little click or popping noise in the ear when they swallow, caused by the movement of air into the ear.

The air is continuously absorbed into the lining of the ear. This process helps to keep air pressure on both sides of the eardrum the same.

If the eustachian tube becomes blocked, or if the outside pressure is different than the inside pressure, it can cause that uncomfortable sensation that the ears are full.

Learn about ear barotrauma.

Blocked eustachian tubes

One possible cause of a blocked eustachian tube is a stuffy nose, such as from a head cold or sinus infection.

When the nose is stuffed or clogged, it can prevent the eustachian tubes from draining or filling with air properly.

When the eustachian tube is blocked, it prevents the air bubble from moving into the middle ear, eventually creating a vacuum and pulling on the eardrum.

This can be uncomfortable and can cause other problems in the ear, such as temporary hearing loss and dizziness.

Changing air pressure

The pressure of the air within the ear is usually the same as the pressure outside of the ear. However, in higher or lower altitudes, such as when flying on an airplane or deep sea diving, the air pressure is not the same.

As a result, the eustachian tube needs to open wider and more frequently in order to maintain and equalize to the new air pressure.

Most people’s ears feel worse in a plane during take-off and landing, especially during a quick ascent or descent.

Pressure in the ears can also happen anytime there are rapid altitude or pressure changes.

Tried everything?

If common strategies to pop the ears do not work, a person may need to contact a healthcare professional. Anyone with severe or persistent pain or discomfort in their ear should contact their doctor sooner.

The healthcare professional may suggest medication, such as decongestants or steroids, to help clear the ear, or antibiotics if a person has an ear infection.

In rare cases, surgery may be required to help open the eardrum, drain the fluid, and equalize pressure in the ear.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some questions people often ask about popping the ears.

What should a person do if their ears will not pop?

If the ears feel persistently blocked, a doctor will likely investigate to find out the reason and treat the underlying cause. They may prescribe decongestants, steroids, or antibiotics, depending on the cause.

How does someone unclog ear pressure?

Yawning, swallowing, chewing gum, and various maneuvers can help unclog the ears, for instance, when flying. However, blocked ears due to a congestion or another condition may need medical treatment.

Is it safe to try and pop the ears?

Methods such as yawning, swallowing, and certain maneuvers are safe to pop the ears. People should not stick anything inside the ears to try and unclog it, as this could damage the ear drum.

How can someone pop the ears by pulling?

Some people may find that sharply pulling the earlobe pops the ears. However, other methods, such as swallowing, yawning, and chewing gum, may be more likely to achieve this without the risk of injury or damage.

Summary

There are various ways to pop the ears when flying or changing altitude, such as yawning, wiggling the jaw, and chewing gum.

However, a blocked ear due to a medical condition, such as an infection, may need medical intervention.

Ear, Nose, and Throat

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

6 methods to equalize your ears. (n.d.).https://dan.org/health-medicine/health-resource/smart-guides/beat-the-squeeze-equalize-like-a-pro/6-methods-to-equalize-your-ears/
Barotrauma. (2022).https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/barotrauma-a-to-z
Ears and altitude (Barotrauma). (2018).https://www.enthealth.org/conditions/ears-and-altitude-barotrauma/
Earpopper. (n.d.).https://www.earpopper.com/
How to pop your ears. (n.d.).https://med.uth.edu/orl/online-ear-disease/appendix/how-to-pop-your-ears/
Miyamoto R T. (2022). Barotrauma of the ear.https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-gb/home/ear,-nose,-and-throat-disorders/middle-ear-disorders/barotrauma-of-the-ear
Rich R. (2023). Decongestants: OTC relief for congestion.https://familydoctor.org/decongestants-otc-relief-for-congestion/
Szymanski A, et al. (2022). Anatomy, head and neck, ear Eustachian tube. (2022).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482338/
Treat glue ear with Otovent. (n.d.).https://otovent.com/

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Medically reviewed by Nicole Leigh Aaronson, MD, MBA, CPE, FACS, FAAP — Written by Nicole Galan, RN — Updated on January 22, 2024

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