He thought about the anatomy. The muscles that open the Eustachian tubes are the same ones used for yawning and swallowing. But his yawns weren't working. He needed a deeper, more coordinated maneuver.
The plane touched down. The woman in 14B smiled. "You okay back there? Sounded like a tiny science experiment." how to unpop ears after plane
He pinched his nose. He inhaled sharply through his nose against the pinch. He thought about the anatomy
Next, the "Toynbee Maneuver" with a twist. He took a sip of the warm water, pinched his nose, and then swallowed. Not a quick gulp, but a slow, deliberate, muscular swallow, as if trying to push a golf ball down his throat with his tongue. The combination of the nose pinch and the powerful swallow created a different pressure dynamic than swallowing alone. He needed a deeper, more coordinated maneuver