LOR pulciņa dalībnieku Edžus Urtāna, Ritas Partojevas, Evitas Cimdiņas, Andas Rēderes, Sabīnes Rumpes, Aleksandras Šilovas ZPD "SUBJECTIVE FEELINGS DURING FLIGHTS AND HEARING PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM". Prezentēts RSU ISC 2016. Darba vadītājs Dr.Gints Tomiņš.

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SUBJECTIVE FEELINGS DURING
FLIGHTS AND HEARING PROBLEMS
ASSOCIATED WITH THEM
Authors: Edžus Urtāns, Rita Partojeva, Evita Cimdiņa, Anda Rēdere,
Sabīne Rumpe, Aleksandra Šilova
Scientific research supervisor: Dr. Gints Tomiņš

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 Traveling by plane is common nowadays.
 The air pressure changes that occur during planes
take-off and landing may result in disturbing feelings
in ear.
 Eustachian tube functions as pressure equalizer
between the middle ear and the atmosphere.
 Many acute and chronic upper respiratory tract
disorders can result in its dysfunction.
 Various methods may be used to intentionally open
the tube and equalize pressures
Introduction
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 To find out occurrence of different subjective feelings
in ear durning flights
 To find out factors that affect occurrence of these
feelings during flights
 Learn about respondents experience with methods
that decrease development of these feelings
Aim
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 During the research 216 people were surveyed about:
» Their experience with different subjective feelings in ear during flights:
- Pain;
- Tinnitus;
- Pressure sensation;
- Hearing loss;
» Their experience with methods to prevent these subjective feelings
during flights:
- Valsalva maneuver;
- Chewing;
- Swallowing (incl. eating candy);
- Yawning;
- Drugs (for example – nasal sprays)
Materials and methods
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 Collected data was analyzed using IBM SPSS
Statistics 23 software.
 p<0,05 was determined to be statistically
significant.
 Spearmens correlation, Kruskal-Wallis,
Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks tests were
used.
Materials and methods
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 5,7% respondents who had flown at least once had
never had any of these feelings during flights.
 70,5% respondents who travel by plane at least once
a year have at least one of these feelings more than
50% of flights.
 1,9% respondents, who have had at least one of
these feelings during flights, had chosen not to travel
by plane in future because of these feelings.
Results
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40.4% 39.9%
91.7%
59.6%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Pain Tinnitus Pressure
sensation
Hearing loss
Have had this feeling in ear during flights at
least once
Results
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 No connection between flight frequency and
occurrence of these feelings was found (p>0,05)
 Respondents experienced pain and hearing loss
equally often during take-off and landing of the plane
(p>0,05), but had more disturbing tinnitus (p=0,02)
and pressure feeling in ear (p<0,01) during take-off.
 35,7% of respondents claimed that these feelings
were the same in flights when they had an acute
respiratory disease compared to flights they didn’t.
Results
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 Those who felt hearing loss more often had it for
longer time (p<0,05, rs=0,373).
 No connection between respondents age and
presence of these feelings was found in age groups
from 15 to 50 years (p=0,595).
 No connection between flight duration and occurence
of these feelings while landing was found (p>0,05).
Results
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 No connection between airline (AirBaltic, Lufthansa,
Ryanair) and occurence of these feelings was found
(p>0,05).
 Only 3,3% of respondents, who have had these
feelings during flights, have been to
otorhinolaryngologist with these complaints.
 Otorhinolaryngologist helped to decrease occurrence
or severity of these feelings in upcoming flights in
50% of cases.
Results
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59%
87% 86%
74%
40%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Valsalva
maneuver
Chewing Swallowing
saliva/water
(incl. eating
candy)
Yawning Drugs (e.g.
nasal
sprays)
Respondents awareness of the methods to
reduce these feelings
Results
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58% 59%
71%
60%
44%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Valsalva
maneuver
Chewing Swallowing
saliva/water
(incl. eating
candy)
Yawning Drugs (e.g.
nasal
sprays)
Method has helped to reduce these feelings
(from those who have tried it)
Results
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 At least one of the given methods tried has helped to
reduce severity of these feelings for 78% of
respondents who have tried at least one of these
methods.
 1,6% of respondents who have traveled by plane
have tried all given methods and none has helped to
reduce these feelings.
Results
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 Pain, tinnitus, pressure sensation in ear and hearing
loss are common during flights.
 We didn’t find connection between flight frequency,
age (in age groups 15-50 years), flight duration, airline
and occurence of these feelings.
Conclusion
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 There are people who can’t decrease these feelings
on their own with any of given methods.
 These people should be examined more carefully,
because they are more likely to have some chronic
disorder that prevents normal equalization of pressure
between middle ear and atmosphere.
 Many of these disorders can be treated meaning we
can increase quality of future flights for these people.
Conclusion
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Thank you for your attention!