Can you fly with a perforated eardrum

Yes, it is safe to fly with a perforated burst eardrum. But if you've had surgery to repair a perforated eardrum myringoplasty , you shouldn't fly until your doctor or surgeon says it is safe to do so. The eardrum is a thin layer of tissue that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. If you have a perforated or ruptured eardrum, it means there is a hole or tear.

A perforated eardrum is usually left to heal by itself, but surgery can sometimes be used to repair it. Read more about treating a perforated eardrum. Being on a plane can affect your ears in a couple of different ways that could cause problems if you have an ear infection or another condition such as tinnitus or a balance disorder.

One of the main issues with air travel is that the pressure inside the cabin is a little bit different to what we are used to in our daily lives. Although the air is pressurised inside most passenger aircraft except for smaller planes or helicopters , the air pressure is slightly lower than usual.

As the plan takes off, the pressure of the air outside your body drops a little. This can cause problems for your ears because they contain a small amount of air in the middle ear. The air inside your middle ear will be at higher pressure than the air in the surrounding cabin.

Some of the air will therefore need to be released through the Eustachian tube. You might hear your ears pop as this happens.

When the plane is on the way down, the pressure will change again in the opposite way. The air pressure in the cabin will increase so that it is higher than the pressure inside your middle ear. Air needs to be drawn in through the Eustachian tube in order to equalise the pressure again. This is usually harder than releasing air during take-off, so if you notice any problems with your ears failing to pop properly it is more likely to be when you are landing.

Another issue that can occur when you are flying is that the noise of the engines can make any hearing issues more difficult. You might struggle to hear over the background noise, even if you have a hearing aid. If you suffer from tinnitus, it could also be exacerbated by the loud environment. Wearing ear plugs and asking for a seat away from the engines may help. Ear infections can cause inflammation and a build-up of fluid inside your ears.

This can affect the Eustachian tubes that connect your middle ear to the outside world. In severe cases, this can actually be quite painful. You could also experience muffled hearing because the eardrum can be sucked inwards if the pressure inside your ears becomes lower than the surrounding air. I have a quarter-inch tear in my left eardrum from a three-meter diving accident.

I was wondering if it is possible for me to fly with a ruptured eardrum. I really need to fly home. Are there special earplugs I could buy that would make the flight bearable?

It's only an hour-and-a-half flight. 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. Barotrauma, or a sudden change in ear pressure, is a common cause of eardrum ruptures. Barotrauma can also occur during explosions or diving mishaps.

Even during a very brief flight, the change in pressure due to high flying altitudes may cause your aching eardrum to re-rupture.