"There's nothing worse than a baby crying on a plane." I bet many people think that because they feel annoyed by a baby's crying during a flight, am I right?
But for me personally the crying is upsetting because I know the baby and its family are suffering terribly. When I hear a baby crying, the mother in me knows it's the only way the baby can express its pain. And that the poor mother is probably doing everything she can to comfort her child.
Ear pressure equalisation when flying
I remember well the time when one of my sons was very small and prone to ear problems. It happens very often that infants get earache when flying, because their eustachian tubes are very narrow and still developing. They are not able to cope with the sudden air pressure changes during take-off and landing.
That's why every time we had to fly I took appropriate precautions. I would always breastfeed him during take-off and landing, because the swallowing movements help to keep the eustachian tubes open. That worked very well and he never had earache when flying.
Since breastfeeding is not an option for adults (unless you want to end up on the no-fly list), many passengers resort to chewing gum to activate the jaw and swallowing reflex. But chewing gum doesn't work for everyone and, as always, homeopathy also offers good alternatives here.
In general, if an adult experiences earache with changes in air pressure, they are usually also prone to ear problems at other times: sinus congestion, tinnitus or a history of recurrent ear infections.
Only rarely do adults suddenly (literally) suffer earache out of the blue; usually something else is going on. The body doesn't simply say, "I think I'll have earache today." No – the ear is usually just the weakest link in the chain. That's why when choosing the appropriate remedy we should always consider past complaints or existing conditions in that area.
Homeopathy for earache
One example: if the pain is accompanied by a discharge from the ear, Hepar sulph 200 – depending on the severity of the symptoms given every three to twelve hours – should be taken until all symptoms have resolved.
But suppose someone has horrible, unbearable earache during a flight without any known prior condition. What should you do in that case? Well, Chamomilla 200 would be a good starting point; the method of administration is the same (every three to twelve hours until the pain has gone).
If the pain is absolutely unbearable, one might consider Belladonna 30 as an emergency measure. It is taken every fifteen minutes until the pain lessens. For more information on dosage and potency see here.
One of my students once told me that she always got earache when flying – every time, with no prior condition and with days of barotrauma. So if I'm absolutely certain I'll get earache on a plane, I would consider taking Chamomilla 200 prophylactically – and especially before my first flight after acquiring this knowledge.
Because after the first dose the underlying problem may already have been resolved and I might not need to take it preventively in future. But I can assure you I still always keep the remedy ready in my hand luggage!
Travel and homeopathy
Whichever homeopathic remedy is indicated, homeopathy gives us the possibility to travel comfortably by air – just as it enables us to lead a comfortable life. So: add this blog post to your travel documents, along with my article on travel fever and my method for dealing with jet lag. Then put your seatbacks and tray tables in the upright position and enjoy your flight!
Warmly,
Yours,
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P.S. A homeopathic travel first-aid kit is the best travel insurance you can have!
