I just came off a 4 1/2 hour flight yesterday from Gran Canaria, descending with the worst pain I have ever experienced. I have had this problem before but can't remember it ever being so severe. I was silently crying, convinced my eye was going to explode out it's socket. Then I was jumping around in my seat, thumping myself in the eye to try and release the pressure. I felt like I was the only one on the plane going through anything. I couldn't see to my daughter who had her own ear pain, as any movement I made just made the pain more intense, as though a knife was going through my eyeball and up into my head. It has been good to read some of the suggestions on this forum, which I will try next time I fly. If nothing works I will seriously consider holidaying at home rather than go through that again. Also the sore eye and head stays with me for a couple of days after I get home. Does anyone know if anything can burst? Also, I always seem to get it worse on the way home and was wondering if the fact I have normally been in the water on the last day of my hols had anything to do with this.