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  |  Healthy Living  |  Lifestyle  |  Frightened of flying
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Frightened of flying

by Dr. Sarah Brewer

question
When flying I feel awful at take-off and landing. I lose all sense of balance, feel really dizzy, light-headed and disorientated. I am not scared of flying but am scared of these awful sensations. They are really frightening. How can I stop these feelings?

answer
These sorts of symptoms can be linked with changes in air pressure across the eardrums. It can help to chew gum, swallow frequently, yawn and pinch your nose while inflating the cheeks during take-off and landing. These measures open up the Eustachian tubes to equalise pressure across the eardrum or tympanic membrane. Plugs known as Earplanes (available in all good chemists, £4.99) are also worth trying. These contain a filter that slows the rate of air pressure changes so discomfort is less likely to occur. They should not be used if you have severe sinus infection or upper respiratory tract infections however, when flying is contra-indicated. You could contact the Aviation Health Institute - a charity that helps to look after the health and well being of air travellers world-wide.
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