Because of the pressure. When we change altitude quickly, in a car or plane trip, the internal pressure of our ear is unbalanced in relation to atmospheric pressure, causing partial hearing loss – what we call “cloggedness”. This can occur both in situations of lower external pressure, such as when climbing a mountain or on the takeoff of a flight, and in cases of greater external pressure, such as during a dive. This imbalance affects the eardrum, causing clogging.
– (Rodrigo Damati/)
1. The ear is divided into three parts. Look above. The eardrum is a membrane that captures air vibrations that will be decoded into sounds by the brain. It is the divider between the outer and middle ear.
2. The Eustachian tube is an air-circulating structure that connects the middle ear, nose and throat. It is through this channel that air enters or leaves the ear. But when the mouth is closed, one end of the Eustachian tube is also closed, preventing circulation.
3. The sudden change in pressure on the way down the mountain makes the tuba not work properly and the eardrum retracts, inflating inwards, which causes clogging. As you climb the mountain, the effect is the opposite: the eardrum is pushed out.
4. The only way to alleviate this discomfort is to force the tube to work. The opening and closing of the mouth is the easiest way to let air in and out, equalizing the internal and external pressure and causing the eardrum to relax and return to normal. So, the old gum-chewing tactic works.
– (Rodrigo Damati/)
Sources: Ricardo Bento, full professor of otorhinolaryngology at the USP Medical School, Luciano Rodrigues Neves, affiliated professor at Unifesp and professor at Uninove (São Paulo).
Question from Aerton Carelli, Belo Horizonte, MG
Illustration: Rodrigo Damati | Editing: Felipe van Deursen