You may have heard a flight attendant talk about the safety procedures to follow if the cabin loses pressure, but what does that actually mean?

They warn: "This must be done carefully, with little force, or it can cause damage to the eardrum. If your symptoms persist ...

Travelers are most likely to experience airplane ear during takeoff and landing, according to Soma Mandal, MD, a board-certified internist working with Summit Health in New Providence, New Jersey.

The lower air pressure in the cabin also causes gas trapped inside the body to expand. That can affect someone who has had bypass surgery within the past 10 days, the Clinical Cardiology review said.