Pinch your nostrils shut. Keep your mouth closed. Then, gently try to breathe out through your nose. You should feel a soft "pop" as air is forced up the tube. Warning: Do this gently. If you blow too hard, you can rupture an eardrum.
There is no sound quite as unsettling as the one you hear 30 minutes into a flight. ear plugged from flying
Look for "pressure-regulating ear plugs" (brands like EarPlanes). These have a special ceramic filter that slows down the pressure change reaching your eardrum. They don't prevent the need to pop, but they make the slope much gentler. The Golden Rule: Never "Wait for the Ground" Most people make the fatal mistake of ignoring the pressure until the plane’s wheels hit the runway. By then, the pressure change is so rapid and severe that popping your ears becomes nearly impossible. Pinch your nostrils shut
You have just been struck by the dreaded . You should feel a soft "pop" as air is forced up the tube
This is safer for most people. Pinch your nose and swallow at the same time. The combination of the pinch and the throat movement usually pulls the tube open.