'Saves you': Flight attendant-approved hack to relieve ear pain on planes
One of the worst parts of air travel is the ear pain, which happens when the air pressure inside the plane changes rapidly during climbs and descents.
A TikTok user has shared a flight attendant's hack for stopping aching ears in the air, gaining thousands of views online.
And it is so simple, anyone could try it on their next flight.
Watch the video above.
Ear pain happens when the pressure inside the cabin changes rapidly, typically during climbs or descents. Getty Images/iStockphoto
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According to the user @babygriffin, a flight attendant saw her in her pain and handed her a 'hot' paper cup, the kind typically used to serve water or coffee on planes, which she placed over one ear.
The cup is heated with a washcloth and/or napkins that are soaked in some hot water before being placed in the bottom of the cup.
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It's thought that the steam produced inside the cup stimulates blood flow in the ear and relaxes muscles.
"When the flight attendant sees you struggling and saves you with a 'hot cup', because you thought your eardrum was going to explode during the descent," reads her on-screen caption.
User @babygriffin was in pain until a flight attended handed her a 'hot cup'. TikTok
While this tip is not medically-approved, many commenters on the clip said it has helped them on flights.
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In particular, those with ear infections and other ear conditions said the hack helped relieve their pain.
"Hot cup hack saved me on a flight to Cancun," said one user.
Other methods of relieving ear pain during flights that users mentioned in the comments included chewing gum, Ear Planes - pressure-filtering ear plugs - as well as blocking your nose and blowing hard to 'pop' your ears.
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