When you experience a sudden change in air pressure, your ears are usually your body’s first barometer to alert you tot he change.  As your ears try to adjust, you notice a feeling of fullness or pressure that occurs in your Eustacian tube and middle ear chamber.

Sudden air pressure changes are most commonly noticed during air travel, particularly during take-offs and landings.  Often, quick relief anc be found by simply swallowing, drinking liquid, chewing gum or yawning. Some people prefer to hold their nose and p”pop” their ears. Others find relief by opening their mouth and wiggling their jaw.

Sometimes these easy remedies don’t always work and additional help is required to avoid more serious risks from sudden air pressure changes.

For example, people who have congestion from allergies, colds or a sinus or ear infection may not be able to clear their ears.  In these cases, exposure to sudden air pressure changes can lead to ear pain, fluid or blood behind the ear drum, and even a ruptured ear drum.  According to House Clinic Otologist M. Jennifer Derebery, M.D., “This is because the swollen Eustachian tube may not be able to equilibrate the air pressure in the middle ear with the outside air pressure.”  She adds that some people with congestion “benefit by pretreating with pseudoephedrine and/0r topical decongestant nasal sprays, like Afrin or neosynephrine, before a flight.”

Besides congesiton, Dr. Derebery points out other medical issues such as scar tissue, nasal obstruction from polyps, and adenoidal hypertrophy in small children–also can cause problems in alleviating ear pressure.  In fact, “kids don’t develop normal {Eustachian tube} function until puberty, so any child may have problems, even if she or he is normal,”says Dr. Derebery.  “For persistent problems , an ENT doctor may recommend making an incision in the eardrum (Myringotomy) and/or insertion of pressure relieving tubes that can stay in place for months to even years.”

Dr. Derebery recommends visiting an ENT physician or Otologist if you experience significant pain after or during a flight, experience change in hearing after a flight or if there is discharge coming of out of the ear.  “If people know they usually have problems, they should get a physician’s diagnosis and see if pre-emptive treatment may help.”

This article was reprinted from www.hei.org/education/health/airpressure.htm

     One in 10 visits to the doctor includes the complaint of dizziness and/or imbalance as reported by the Eisenhower Medical Institute. These symptoms may be dismissed as the minor consequences of other disorders, side effects of medications or a natural process of aging.  Untreated vertigo does not go away.  People can develop deficits related to prolonged dizziness.  Despite the fact that our body is made to work and work well, even with minor deficits, it doesn’t completely right itself all the time.  Our bodies are creatures of habit.  Whatever we do a lot of we get good at…even bad habits…like being dizzy and off balance

     Vertigo and imbalance can result in disruptions in daily life.  All activities of daily living are performed best in good health without dizziness and imbalance.  Fractures related to falls can promote immobility which can lead to additional health issues, injuries and even death.

     Depending on the severity of the symptoms, a full medical work up may be performed to rule out major health issues that can present with these symptoms such as strokes, brain tumors, multiple sclerosis or cardiac issues like carotid artery blockages.  Often medication is dispensed to reduce the symptoms; however, the use of balance and vestibular training can be useful in identification of the cause of the patient’s imbalance and the underlying musculoskeletal/neurological factors.   . 

     Vestibular Rehabilitation is a skilled approach designed to reduce dizziness and imbalance by promoting integration of the systems that promote balance and equilibrium.  This is an alternative approach to the use of medications (ie:  Antivert; Meclizine) which suppress vestibular function versus remedying it.  The benefit of a Vestibular Evaluation is identification of the cause of symptoms.  Then, a treatment plan can be formatted to manage the effects of dizziness, increase functional independence and reduce fall risk.  The Balance Center of Las Vegas specializes in helping you identify the cause of the dizziness or imbalance and will assist you in getting your patients back on their feet!