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Eustachian Exerciser: Stick It Up Your Nose?

Adevice called the Eustachi is being marketed to pilots as an alternative to the Valsalva maneuver theyve been using for years. You know the drill-pinch your nose and blow to unclog blocked ears during and after a descent. While that can generally do the trick, Minnesota-based Exercore says its Eustachi product is far more effective.

Larry Anglisano
Verified

Adevice called the Eustachi is being marketed to pilots as an alternative to the Valsalva maneuver they’ve been using for years. You know the drill—pinch your nose and blow to unclog blocked ears during and after a descent. While that can generally do the trick, Minnesota-based Exercore says its Eustachi product is far more effective.

It claims that the battery-operated Eustachi is drug-free, natural, safe and can be used during any activity—including flying—when you would perform the Valsalva maneuver. But I had to ask: Do you really want to be pumping 5 PSI of air up your honker while at the controls? The pilot docs I talked with have similar concerns.

Larry Anglisano

Editor in Chief Larry Anglisano has been a staple at Aviation Consumer since 1995. An active land, sea and glider pilot, Larry has over 30 years’ experience as an avionics repairman and flight test pilot. He’s the editorial director overseeing sister publications Aviation Safety magazine, IFR magazine and is a regular contributor to KITPLANES magazine with his Avionics Bootcamp column.