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Weather Works: Why your ears pop on an airplane

Meteorologist Taylor Stephenson explains why your ears hurt on a flight and how to combat it on this week's episode of "Weather Works."

MACON, Ga. — Summer vacations are on everyone's minds now, and I'm sure some of you are starting to book out-of-town flights.

Whether you're a first time flyer or a frequent flyer, your ears probably popped as the plane climbed in altitude.

That's all due to changing pressure as you fly through the sky!

As you go up higher and higher, the air pressure goes down. This means that the highest air pressure we'll ever experience is on the ground.

As the pressure drops, you feel it -- kind of like being on a roller coaster. In your ears though, the pressure traps air inside your ear canal.

The lower pressure entering your ear interacts with the higher pressure inside and this collision happens right at your eardrum.

The pressure then pushes against your eardrum, which causes that discomfort as your flight ascends.

To avoid your ears popping or even temporary hearing loss on your next flight, yawn continuously during takeoff or chew gum!

These practices help move that trapped air in your ear throughout your body.

That's how your weather works!

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