A hand-held device (10) for creating a pressure change in a person's ear canal. It has an interior space forming an air chamber (50), a plunger (58) and a valve means (52) frictionally engaged with said plunger (58), a tube (14) with an earpiece (48), and a finger-actuated diaphragm (60) in an external wall of the air chamber (50). The diaphragm (60) moves the plunger (58) from a resting position, and in a first direction. A spring (56) returns the diaphragm (60) to its undepressed position. Initial movement of the plunger (58) in said first direction from said resting position displaces the valve (52) from a first position to a second position at which the valve means (52) is stopped from further movement in said first direction. Further movement of the plunger (58) in said first direction causes the plunger (58) to slide relative to the valve (52). The device (10) is intended for treatment of Mënière's disease and ear pain from other causes.A1