‘The Airlines Don’t Tell You That’: Flight Attendant Shares What You Should Never, Ever Do—Unless You Want Long-Term Consequences

Preparing for a big flight? There’s something else you might want to add to your bag

You might be familiar with travel essentials like chargers, neck pillows, and document carriers. However, there’s something else that you might need for your next trip.

According to one flight attendant, doing this one thing while flying—and, crucially, not bringing this airplane necessity—could result in permanent ear damage. Here’s what you need to know before your next adventure.

What Shouldn’t You Do On An Airplane?

In a video with over 28,000 views, TikTok user and flight attendant Destanie (@destanieaaa) offers a piece of advice for flyers.

“Me telling new hires not to fly congested bc you literally can blow your eardrum out and cause permanent damage to your hearing,” she writes in the overlay text.

The video shows her parading a variety of decongestant products, presumably as a recommendation for those who are dealing with congestion before a flight.

“The airlines don’t tell you that,” she writes in the caption.

Is It True That Flying While Congested Can Permanently Damage Your Hearing?

It’s definitely possible. That said, flying while congested is more likely to cause temporary damage than permanent.

These issues are caused by something experts call “airplane ear.” As an airplane takes off or touches down, air pressure changes fast. Your eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat, is in charge of equalizing that pressure. When one is congested, the eustachian tube can’t react properly—and thus, you might experience some side effects.

In general, these side effects are limited to discomfort, a feeling of fullness, or muffled hearing. However, more severe side effects—and permanent damage—are technically possible. In more severe cases, pain will be increased, and hearing issues will last for days after a flight.

For the very rare, incredibly serious cases, one may have a perforated eardrum or damage their inner ear. In most cases, even these issues will fully recover after a few months. Still, there’s always a chance that one does not have a full recovery. The possibility of these side effects is an understandable fear for flight attendants, who average between 65 and 90 flight hours every month.

How Can I Prevent This From Happening To My Ears While Flying?

There are a few things that one can do to reduce the risk of ear damage while flying.

First, one can avoid flying while they are sick or congested. While this is sometimes impossible to avoid, both you and your fellow passengers will feel better if you choose to postpone your trip until you’re in full health.

Second, one can take decongestant medication. That said, one should be careful about which medication they take, as many decongestant medications have unique aspects of which average consumers should be aware.

For example, Oxymetazoline Nasal Spray, often sold under the brand name Afrin, should only be used for a maximum of three days. Additionally, many products that are labeled as “decongestants” cite phenylephrine as their active ingredient. The FDA recently announced that this drug was likely ineffective and no better than a placebo when taken orally.

Instead, one can ask for a behind-the-counter decongestant containing pseudoephedrine—or ask their doctor for a prescription for a decongestant.

Is There Anything Else You Can Do?

In order to prevent airplane ear, the Mayo Clinic suggests, in addition to the above recommendations, performing a series of maneuvers to encourage pressure equalization.

The first is yawning and swallowing during takeoff and landing, or chewing gum. This can open up the eustachian tubes and allow your body to equalize pressure more easily.

The second is performing what’s called the “Valsalva maneuver.” This involves gently blowing, similar to blowing your nose, while pinching your nostrils and keeping your mouth closed. One can repeat this process several times to help equalize pressure between the ears and the airplane cabin.

If all else fails, one can purchase filtered earplugs that claim to help with ear pain during takeoff and landing. Still, other steps will likely need to be taken to relieve pressure.

Commenters Say These Issues Are Common

In the comments section, users cited their own experiences dealing with airplane pressure, with some offering their own solutions to the problem.

“I GOT FIRED FROM MY FIRST AIRLINE BECAUSE I HAD SO MANY EAR PROBLEMS THE FIRST 6 MONTHS!!!” exclaimed a user. “If you have ear problems get tubes put in!! The procedure is so quick and can be done in the doctor’s office, and it only hurts for a few hours after. After I got my tubes put in I’ve never had any ear issues since, even when I’m sick!! It’s been so helpful especially since I’m at a new airline now!”

“DAILY ALLERGY PILLS TAKE THEM WITH YOUR VITAMINS/OTHER MEDS EVERY SINGLE DAY,” advised another. “EVEN IF YOU DONT THINK YOU HAVE ALLERGIES GET 300 ON AMAZON FOR LIKE $20.”

“Can confirm I flew slightly congested to AUSTRALIA and i had a sinus squeeze and never recovered in my left ear,” alleged a third. “I have constant tinnitus now so will always fly with decongestant.”

BroBible reached out to Destanie via TikTok and Instagram direct message.