– Open your mouth wide like you’re at the dentist. Then exaggerate a yawn. Jut your jaw forward. Move it side to side. Gentle movement can unlock the tube.
– Sip warm water or tea. Swelling goes down when you’re hydrated, and each swallow helps wiggle those tubes.
What follows is a sensation that defies the logic of the outside world. Inside your head, the pressure builds, pushing against the eardrum like a hand pressing against a taut sheet of plastic. The pain can range from a dull throb to a sharp, piercing sting that radiates down the jaw. The world undergoes a sudden and jarring transformation. The hum of the engines, the chatter of fellow passengers, and the safety announcements fade into a distant, underwater buzz. You become an island of silence in a noisy cabin, your own voice booming inside your skull while everyone else’s is muffled by an invisible wall.
