Perforated eardrum can you fly

The ear is very fragile, and your doctor will tell you to avoid certain activities. However, whether or not you can fly depends on where in the treatment process you are for your ruptured eardrum.

Flying with a perforated eardrum is debated due to this. When you fly, the air pressure around you changes quickly, which is why you may feel pressure changes in your ears during takeoff and landing. It is important to try to figure out the cause of your ear symptoms and determine whether a ruptured eardrum has occurred.

The middle ear includes three small bones — the hammer malleus , anvil incus and stirrup stapes. The middle ear is separated from your external ear by the eardrum and connected to the back of your nose and throat by a narrow passageway called the eustachian tube. The cochlea, a snail-shaped structure, is part of your inner ear. Barotrauma is stress exerted on your eardrum when the air pressure in your middle ear and the air pressure in the environment are out of balance.

If the pressure is severe, your eardrum can rupture. Barotrauma is most often caused by air pressure changes associated with air travel. Other events that can cause sudden changes in pressure — and possibly a ruptured eardrum — include scuba diving and a direct blow to the ear, such as the impact of an automobile air bag.

If your eardrum ruptures, uncommon problems can occur, especially if it fails to self-heal after three to six months. Possible complications include:. Middle ear cyst cholesteatoma. Although very rare, this cyst, which is composed of skin cells and other debris, can develop in your middle ear as a long-term result of eardrum rupture.

Ear canal debris normally travels to your outer ear with the help of ear-protecting earwax. If your eardrum is ruptured, the skin debris can pass into your middle ear and form a cyst. A cyst in your middle ear provides a friendly environment for bacteria and contains proteins that can damage the bones of your middle ear. If you are in an urgent situation, please visit our Emergency page to view a list of 24 hour support services and hotlines.

All About Alice! Go Ask Alice! In Your Box. Dear Alice, I have a quarter-inch tear in my left eardrum from a three-meter diving accident. Not quite whole in Massachusetts, Casey. Dear Casey, Before you book that ticket, know that it is the altitude of the flight — and not the amount of time you are in the air — that can harm your healing eardrum. It ruined the first week of my last trip to Bali, and I don't think I can face the tiredness again. Jetlag is simple really: every 15 degrees of longitude is one hour.

Fly to and from the US and you gain or lose five or more hours. Add this to the real time of the flight and up to 13 hours can be the difference. But when you fly west and gain time, it is easier to cope with this difference. Simply stay up as late as possible, hit the sack and set your alarm for local time in the morning and you will be fine in a day. Going east is harder, because with fitful sleep on a plane, you can lose a night's kip, leaving you shattered on arrival.