Bloody landing approach

Depressurization on a plane: danger to our ears?

Depressurization in the aircraft can cause problems.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

After a passenger jet had to turn back shortly after take-off in Salt Lake City (USA), several passengers bled from their mouths and ears. Problems with the cabin pressure are likely to have led to this. Krone+ asked an ENT expert about the possible consequences for hearing.

"It was as if someone was stabbing my ear with a knife," reported one of those affected about the sudden pain after the plane landed. Dr. Stefan Edlinger, a specialist in ear, nose and throat medicine (ENT) in Vienna, explains what happens to our ears when the pressure drops, how serious the injuries can be and in which situations similar things can happen.