I landed in Denver once with my right ear completely blocked. It stayed blocked through baggage claim. Through the rental car pickup. Through dinner. I was tilting my head like a confused dog every time someone spoke to me.

Chewing gum had done nothing. Yawning hadn’t helped. I didn’t know about the other methods then. Now I do, and that one miserable evening has never repeated itself.

What’s actually happening

Your middle ear is separated from the outside world by your eardrum. The air pressure on both sides needs to be equal for your ear to feel normal. The Eustachian tube — a tiny canal connecting your middle ear to the back of your throat — is what equalizes that pressure. When it’s blocked or slow to open, you feel that plugged-up sensation.

Altitude changes during flights cause the outside pressure to shift faster than your Eustachian tubes can adjust. That’s why it happens on descent more than ascent — the pressure change on the way down is harder for the tubes to manage.

The Valsalva maneuver

This is the one scuba divers use. Pinch your nose closed with your fingers. Close your mouth. Gently try to blow air out through your nose — gently is the key word. You’re not trying to inflate a balloon; you’re applying just enough pressure to push the Eustachian tubes open.

You should feel a pop or a click as the pressure equalizes. If you feel pain, stop. You’re pushing too hard.

The Toynbee maneuver

Pinch your nose closed and swallow at the same time. The swallowing motion pulls the Eustachian tubes open while the pinched nose creates a slight vacuum. This combination often works when the Valsalva doesn’t.

It takes a couple tries to get the timing right. Swallow while holding the pinch — don’t release your nose before you swallow.

The fake yawn

Open your mouth as wide as you can, like an exaggerated yawn. Then wiggle your jaw side to side. The jaw movement stretches the muscles around the Eustachian tubes and can coax them open. It looks ridiculous. It also works more often than you’d expect.

For stubborn cases

If nothing works after a few hours, try a warm compress held against the affected ear. Heat helps relax the tissues around the Eustachian tube. Over-the-counter decongestant nasal spray can also help if congestion is the root cause — the spray shrinks swollen tissue near the Eustachian opening.

If your ear stays blocked for more than a day or hurts significantly, see a doctor. Persistent blockage can be a sign of an ear infection or fluid buildup that needs treatment.