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The ineffectiveness of applying moisture to the ear on the incidence and severity of otic barotrauma for air passengers
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Morse, Robert P. and Mitchell-Innes, Alistair (2018) The ineffectiveness of applying moisture to the ear on the incidence and severity of otic barotrauma for air passengers. Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 132 (9). pp. 790-795. doi:10.1017/S0022215118001524 ISSN 0022-2151.
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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022215118001524
Abstract
Objective
The application of moisture to the ear is anecdotally claimed to relieve the pain from otic barotrauma that can arise during aircraft descent. We tested this claim in a randomized double-blind study on an aircraft with eight participants heavily predisposed to barotrauma.
Methods
On the outward flight half the participants wore “active” devices that applied moisture to the external ear; the remainder wore placebo devices that contained no moisture, but were otherwise identical. On the return flight the groups were reversed. Participants wore the devices from just before descent until landing unless they experienced symptoms of barotrauma, in which case they switched to what they knew was an active device.
Results
There was no significant difference between conditions for the appearance of the tympanic membrane on landing or for the discomfort levels immediately before and after any switch.
Conclusions
Applying moisture is ineffective for passengers heavily predisposed to otic barotrauma.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||||
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Subjects: | Q Science > QP Physiology R Medicine > RC Internal medicine |
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Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Engineering > Engineering | ||||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Barotrauma, Aural -- Treatment, Aircraft occupants -- Diseases | ||||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Journal of Laryngology and Otology | ||||||
Publisher: | Cambridge University Press | ||||||
ISSN: | 0022-2151 | ||||||
Official Date: | September 2018 | ||||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | 132 | ||||||
Number: | 9 | ||||||
Page Range: | pp. 790-795 | ||||||
DOI: | 10.1017/S0022215118001524 | ||||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | ||||||
Copyright Holders: | JLO (1984) Limited, 2018 | ||||||
Date of first compliant deposit: | 17 December 2018 | ||||||
Date of first compliant Open Access: | 18 December 2018 | ||||||
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant: |
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