If you’ve ever experienced sharp ear pain during a flight, you know how uncomfortable and distracting it can be.
This condition, known as barotrauma, happens when rapid changes in air pressure cause a mismatch between the pressure inside and outside the ear.
Common tips like chewing gum or pinching your nose and blowing are often recommended to alleviate this.
Recently, a TikTok user shared a simple yet effective method to instantly relieve ear pain, which has quickly gained traction, with over 570,000 views.
The materials and techniques are surprisingly simple. All you need is a paper cup and a napkin, both provided on most flights. Place the napkin inside the cup, pour a small amount of hot water to dampen it, and then hold the cup against your ear.
While this won’t fully eliminate the pain, the warm steam is said to help alleviate the discomfort almost immediately, providing much-needed relief during your flight.
In the comments, viewers shared their positive experiences: “I’ve used this method often,” one said. Another commented, “I tried it yesterday on my flight to Cancun, and it worked great. I was able to enjoy a comfortable flight.”
So, what do the experts say about this Hot Cup therapy? Dr. Lawrence Cunningham explains, “The heat from the cup can help relax the muscles around the ear and improve blood flow, which may reduce ear pressure pain.”
He said, “The warmth can also relieve muscle and tissue tension, potentially opening the Eustachian tube (which helps regulate ear pressure and protects the middle ear from harmful substances), aiding in pressure relief. While it’s not a medically proven method, it may offer soothing effects and comfort for some people.”
If you regularly experience ear pain while flying, try Hot Cup Therapy on your next trip.
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