Passengers on board the plane experienced extreme pain as their ears began ringing during the plane’s descent.
Shelby Heiskell, a Kentucky mother and content creator who posts on TikTok under the username @babygriffin, received a perhaps little-known gift from a flight attendant who knew how to relieve the ear pain she was experiencing. No hacks shared. (See the video at the top of this article.)
Heiskell and his family were returning home to Kentucky after spending Thanksgiving in California, where they were also battling traffic congestion caused by the virus he contracted the week before, Heiskell said.
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“I wasn’t a very experienced flayer,” Heiskell told FOX News Digital.
“I didn’t know it was dangerous to fly in such (health) conditions.”
Shelby Heiskell (pictured) said she suffered from “excruciating” ear pain while traveling until a flight attendant showed her a hack to relieve the pressure. (Shelby Heiskell/@babygriffin)
“When I came down, I felt a popping sensation in my ear and it felt like it was going to explode. It was the most intense pain I’ve ever felt and I had no control over it.”
In her video, which has been viewed 6.1 million times, she described the pain as “like my eardrums are going to burst.”
The pain Heiskell felt is sometimes known as “airplane ear” and occurs when stress is placed on the eardrum. According to the Mayo Clinic, this can occur when there is an “imbalance between the pressure in the middle ear and the pressure in the surrounding environment.”
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The Mayo Clinic website says, “Airplane ear can occur when you’re in an airplane that’s climbing after takeoff or when it’s descending for landing.”
Heiskell said she knew several ways to ease the unpleasant feelings, including chewing gum, yawning, and pinching and blowing her nose, but ultimately couldn’t find a solution.
“The pain kept increasing and I finally had to bury my face in a pillow on the plane, trying not to make a scene and not scare my son,” she said.


Ms. Heiskell (not pictured) tried everything she could to relieve the pain she felt from the pressure on the plane, but she said nothing worked. (St. Petersburg)
A flight attendant on the plane saw Heiskell in distress and approached her to ask what was wrong.
After Ms. Heiskell’s boyfriend described the pain she was feeling, the flight attendant told them, “That’s exactly what she was feeling.”
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Heiskell said the flight attendant returned to the couple with a disposable coffee cup, which had a “hot, steaming towel” in the bottom.
The officer then asked Heiskell to put the cup over his ear.
“I’m so grateful to that first flight attendant! I swear her trick saved my hearing and my sanity!”
“I immediately felt a sense of relief,” Heiskell said.
“It didn’t solve the temporary hearing loss or the actual problem at hand, but it did relieve the pain and remove the feeling of immediate pressure.”
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Heiskell shared the video on TikTok and captioned it, “I owe that kid! Apparently this is a trick that not many people are aware of. Because one of the flight attendants on the plane next door… Because people didn’t know what I was talking about.” I ordered one for takeoff (my ears were still stuffed)…so I thought I’d share it. ”
Heiskell attempted the hack again on his second flight, explaining the “hot cup” method to a flight attendant.


A flight attendant (not pictured) saw Mr. Heiskell in distress and came to his seat with a coffee cup and a steamed towel underneath and asked him to put the cup over his ear. (St. Petersburg)
This time, the attendants used napkins instead of hot towels, but Heiskell was still able to feel at ease.
After posting the video on TikTok, Heiskell had conversations with many people who had never heard of the hack before.
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The comments section quickly filled up with tips from others to avoid the “pop” sensation in your ears while flying.
“Many passengers suggested taking a decongestant or Sudafed 24 hours before the flight and 45 minutes before boarding,” Heiskell said.


One doctor said the steam from the hot towel in the cup likely opened the Eustachian tubes, lowering the pressure. (St. Petersburg)
“[Social media users]are telling us to use Affirm or Flonase when boarding and to fly with earplug products called ‘Ear Planes.'” “I was told I would follow up to take another nasal decongestant/Sudafed after the flight,” Heiskell added.
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Heiskell said some flight attendants agreed. They shared their stories and encouraged parents to use the hack on infants and toddlers by placing a cup over each ear to relieve pressure.
“I’m so grateful to the first flight attendant[on the plane]! I swear her trick saved my hearing and my sanity!” Heiskell said.
“If you are congested due to a cold, allergy or other illness, please consult your doctor before boarding the plane and seek treatment to relieve the congestion.”
So, why does the “hot cup” method reduce pain caused by ear pressure?
First, it’s important to understand why your ears “pop” during ascent and descent during a flight, says Dr. Purvi Parikh, a New York-based allergist with Allergy and Asthma Network. Ta.
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“When a plane takes off and lands, the pressure in the ears changes, the pressure on the outside of the ear decreases, and the pressure in the middle of the ear increases,” Parikh told FOX News Digital.


Because children have small Eustachian tubes, they are more likely to experience pressure pain when flying. (St. Petersburg)
“To relieve pressure, the Eustachian tubes that connect the ear, nose, and throat open, correcting this imbalance and causing the crackling sound,” Parikh says.
The pain behind ear pressure is caused by blockage of the Eustachian tubes due to external factors such as allergies or infections. Children are more susceptible because their Eustachian tubes are smaller.
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Parikh reveals why the ‘hot cup’ method can help relieve pain from cabin pressure.
“The steam from the hot towel in the cup may have opened the Eustachian tubes, relieving pressure and pain. Breathing steam through the nose may also be helpful for the same reason,” she says.


The “hot cup” method is useful for both adults and small children to relieve pain from ear pressure during flight. (Shelby Heiskell/@babygriffin; iStock)
Although Parikh hadn’t heard of this method specifically, she regularly recommends that her patients use steam as a nasal decongestant.
If you find yourself dealing with ear pressure pain during a flight, Parikh suggests trying things like swallowing, chewing gum, or even opening and closing your jaw as ways to relieve and even out the pressure. We recommend that you do so.
“If you are congested due to a cold, allergy or other illness, consult your doctor before boarding the plane and seek treatment to relieve the congestion,” Parikh added.
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“Over-the-counter allergy medicines and nasal sprays can also be helpful before you get on a plane to clarify the situation,” she said.
“Finally, earplugs with filters can also help equalize the pressure, but you may still need to yawn or swallow them with the earplugs.”