He decided to attack the problem from a different angle: hydration and heat. He flagged down a flight attendant and asked for two things: a steaming hot paper cup of black coffee, and a small bottle of warm water.
First, the heat. He held the warm bottle against the side of his neck, just below his jawline, and massaged in slow, firm circles. The warmth encouraged blood flow and relaxed the surrounding muscles. Then, he leaned over the steam rising from the coffee, inhaling the moist heat. It wasn't a miracle cure, but the gentle humidity softened the dried mucus that might be sealing his tubes shut. how to unpop ears after plane
Sam smiled back. "Just had to let the world back in." He decided to attack the problem from a
He thought about the anatomy. The muscles that open the Eustachian tubes are the same ones used for yawning and swallowing. But his yawns weren't working. He needed a deeper, more coordinated maneuver. He held the warm bottle against the side
Pop.
Next, the "Toynbee Maneuver" with a twist. He took a sip of the warm water, pinched his nose, and then swallowed. Not a quick gulp, but a slow, deliberate, muscular swallow, as if trying to push a golf ball down his throat with his tongue. The combination of the nose pinch and the powerful swallow created a different pressure dynamic than swallowing alone.