How To Pop Ears Safely

Frenzel Maneuver

The Frenzel maneuver is a technique for equalizing the pressure in the middle ear. This ear-popping technique is most practiced by free divers, scuba divers, and pilots. The Frenzel maneuver is performed by blocking the nasal cavity, usually by a nose clip or pinching of the nostrils. Then the individual fills their mouth up with air, closes it, and maneuvers their tongue in the same way they would if they make a letter k sound. Some find it easier to make clicking sounds with their tongue to push the air into their eustachian tubes.

The Frenzel maneuver is deemed to be somewhat safer than other ear-popping techniques because it carries the lowest risk of placing too much pressure on the inner or middle ear. This technique of equalizing the air pressure on both sides of the eardrum also does not interrupt venous return to the heart. Although it may be one of the safest ear-popping techniques, it is one of the more challenging ones to learn how to perform and may require some practice before it is effective.

Chewing Gum

An individual can induce the popping of their ears by chewing gum when they have barotitus media or barotrauma. An individual's middle ear typically can adjust to changing air pressures outside of the ear. However, it takes several minutes for the middle ear to adjust when this pressure change occurs suddenly, like during the takeoff of an airplane. Some individuals' ears will pop without any intervention, while others may have a harder time with equalizing the pressure in their middle ear.

One of the best-known methods of inducing ear popping is chewing gum. While it sounds like the actual chewing motion would help the ears pop, this is actually not true. When an individual chews gum, the flavorings in the gum cause their saliva glands to produce more saliva. The oral cavity has a mechanism in place to rid the mouth of excessive saliva or other fluids by automatically inducing swallowing. An individual who is chewing gum will swallow much more frequently than someone who is not. Swallowing forces the eustachian tubes to open, which is why chewing gum is effective at popping the ears.