If you're flying and your ears suddenly feel stuffed with cotton when landing, your Eustachian tubes--the tubes that regulate air pressure in your ears--are clogged and need to be opened. In other words, you need to pop your ears. The Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia offers the following tips to relieve ear pressure when landing.
Yawn. Even if you can't get a good yawn started, by opening your jaw wide and jutting it out you may be able to open your Eustachian tubes and relieve pressure.
Chew gum. Start chewing before the plane starts its descent. The movement of your jaw should help relieve ear pressure.
Suck on a lollipop. This is a good tip for children; babies can be given a bottle or pacifier. Again, the jaw movement can open Eustachian tubes.
Pinch your nose, close your mouth and blow out. This is a diver's trick. Blowing air like this pushes it up into the Eustachian tubes, opening the airway and relieving pressure.
Take an antihistamine or decongestant shortly before landing to reduce clogging or inflammation of the Eustachian tubes.
