We couldn't find any information on how many people get a hole (a perforation) in their eardrum from flying. But it's extremely rare in people who take regular commercial flights.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Basu A.
Middle ear pain and trauma during travel.
September 2007. Clinical Evidence. (Based on April 2007 search). Available at http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/conditions/ent/0501/0501.jsp (accessed on 26 October 2007).

 

 

 

 

 

¹ Your eardrum is the thin layer of tissue that stretches across the inner end of your ear canal. To learn more, see What is ear pain during air travel?

Studies of people whose eardrum was damaged from flying in military aircraft showed that the hole healed over by itself.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
O'Reilly BJ.
Otorhinolaryngology.
In: Ernsting J, Nicholson AN, Rainford DJ (editors). Aviation medicine. 3rd edition. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, UK; 1999: 319-336.

 

 

 

 

 

² Most people don't have any long-term problems.

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