"Airplane ear is an umbrella term for a variety of symptoms caused by rapid changes in altitude and air pressure... For some people, it's no more than a clogged feeling that temporarily muffles hearing. For others, the condition may cause intense pain and even damage the ear drum."
"The Eustachian tube is responsible for keeping the air pressure between the middle ear and the environment the same. Keeping air pressure balanced is something we don't normally have to think about... When the air pressure changes quickly during a flight, it can be hard for the Eustachian tube to keep up."
"We can usually do it by yawing or swallowing, which contracts muscles that open the Eustachian tube... This can make us feel that we need to yawn or pop our ears..."
"The good news is that it generally resolves on its own. It can just be very uncomfortable until it does. This can take anywhere from seconds to days."
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