My ears don't pop on their own. When I fly I have to blow really hard to pop my right ear, then I have to close my right ear folding the lobe over the canal to pop the left. I also live in Vegas, so I change elevation a lot too. My dr gave me some flonase, but I haven't used it b/c I quit smoking and with that, my sinus drainage stopped. I had hoped quitting may help my ears too, but didn't. Any suggestions? Do you think the flonase will help? I just hate spraying it in my nose.

Flonase or Beconase is an anti-flammatory spray.

Have you tried chewing gum?

Chewing gum does qork and I am the same way. I have to hold my breath in to make my ears pop. Persoanlly I rather take that route because it bothers the heck out of me if I can't hear properly so I will pop them. Gun though has been a remedy for that for many decades and its a good thing to try if you havn't yet. Also take the Flonase as prescribed from the doctor. Do the bottle and see what happens. Even though the sinus problem has stopped it doesn't mean it may not come back.

Also Congrats on quiting smoking :bouncing:

I chew gum a lot now b/c I quit smoking. This has been a problem for a long time-the dr gave me a reason that the canals may be small and the flonase will help to - gosh, I really dont remember. I guess I will give it a try. I suck with meds, I should have been using it for the past few months, but haven't and now I see him again next week. I am such a bad patient! But, I have had so much on my mind-now having back surgery and that has been worrying me, plus all the othermeds I already take, I just didn't want another-oh well,my fault.
I may just tell them I can't come to my appt b/c of surgery and then really use the flonase. (my surgery is the next day, appt on 7,, surgery on 8). hmmm, don't know!

The Flonase will help to open up the ears. I have had this problem off and on for about 2 years. I get dizzy when my ears are stuffy. The Flonase seemed to open them up and drain them. It can take up to a week for the medicine to start working.