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Woman Notices Ear Didn’t Pop After Flight, Leads to Horrifying Diagnosis

Woman Notices Ear Didn’t Pop After Flight, Leads to Horrifying Diagnosis

Summary

A 22-year-old woman named Aida Burkins experienced ear pain and bleeding after a flight, which led to a diagnosis of a rare type of throat cancer called nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). After months of tests and treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation, she is responding well and hopes to become cancer-free.

Key Facts

  • Aida Burkins noticed her ear didn’t pop after a flight to Chicago in May 2025.
  • She experienced bleeding from her nose and worsening hearing loss.
  • Initial doctors thought it was altitude sickness, but symptoms did not improve.
  • An ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist found a mass blocking her Eustachian tube.
  • Biopsies and scans showed lumps in her throat and lymph nodes.
  • In February 2026, she was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a rare throat cancer.
  • NPC often relates to Epstein-Barr virus infection and is rare in the U.S.
  • Burkins has undergone chemotherapy and radiation and is responding well to treatment.
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