Can clogged ear during cold cause trouble while on a flight?

Question

Hello doctor,

My wife had a cold a few weeks ago and ever since then her left ear is not getting stabilized. Her left ear is fully clogged and nothing seems to help. She has had trouble with this ear in the past which would occasionally clog but release from time to time. Currently, she is taking Amoxicillin. She is about to travel overseas next week and her flight is scheduled for next week morning. She is very worried about damaging her ear. She would like to have an online consultation.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thank you for your query. 1. Continue tablet Amoxicillin for a week. 2. Use local nasal decongestant drops twice daily in a supine position for four days. 3. During the takeoff and landing of the plane, she has to chew gum. 4. I also recommend an anti-inflammatory, anti-edematous drug like tablet Chymotrypsin twice daily for a week. Kindly consult a specialist, talk to them, and take medications with their consent. All the above-mentioned steps are for urgent management. After the trip, she should perform tympanometry and pure tone audiometry to evaluate the condition of her middle ears, eustachian tubes, and cochlear nerves in case of persistence of the complaint. I hope this has helped you. Thank you.