Sinus Pain Whilst Flying

[Lobin]

Just a quick post to ask if anyone can recommend a good sinus, (ear, nose and throat) specialist in CM?

And any advice for painful sinuses whilst flying, have been flying for many years now, but recently have experienced problems upon descent, thought it was a head cold but has sustained itself over 3 weeks.

I have heard that CLEAR EASE could be a possible solution. Anyone know if this is readily available in CM?

[Farma]

I haven't seen Clear Ease but you could try one of those little vicks inhalers. If that fails ask your pharmacist if pernazene inhaler would help.

[fruittbatt]

Just a quick post to ask if anyone can recommend a good sinus, (ear, nose and throat) specialist in CM?

And any advice for painful sinuses whilst flying, have been flying for many years now, but recently have experienced problems upon descent, thought it was a head cold but has sustained itself over 3 weeks.

I have heard that CLEAR EASE could be a possible solution. Anyone know if this is readily available in CM?

I am sorry that I cannot recommend an ENT specialist here in CM, but may I ask you if you had a cold already when you flew?

If so, I would consult a doctor immediately, especially if you are feeling at all giddy or have a feeling of fullness in your ear/head.

A few tips which have helped me with similar sinus pain problems:

sip water during the flight, esp during descent.

chew gum (not nice I know, but it does help) or suck sweets before take-off and descent.

use otarine ear drops one hour before take-off and half an hour before descent.

You could use a prescribed nasal spray or saline solution squirted up your nostrils before a flight to help clear your sinuses. You could also use the saline now to try to unblock your ears (buy from any chemist, big bottles are around 75 baht). Chiang Mai is a markedly polluted city, and sinus sufferers need regular breaks (eg to the mountains or the beach).

Best wishes and hope another poster can help with a referral to a good ENT doc.

[yeehi]

That sort of pain can come due to sinuses drying up. If it happens after the flight, try some hot water in a sink with a towel over your head to soften/drain the block.

You might try the same sort of thing in advance of flying to pre-empt the problem.

In flight, sniff hot steaming coffee?

Just a quick post to ask if anyone can recommend a good sinus, (ear, nose and throat) specialist in CM?

And any advice for painful sinuses whilst flying, have been flying for many years now, but recently have experienced problems upon descent, thought it was a head cold but has sustained itself over 3 weeks.

I have heard that CLEAR EASE could be a possible solution. Anyone know if this is readily available in CM?

I am sorry that I cannot recommend an ENT specialist here in CM, but may I ask you if you had a cold already when you flew?

If so, I would consult a doctor immediately, especially if you are feeling at all giddy or have a feeling of fullness in your ear/head.

A few tips which have helped me with similar sinus pain problems:

sip water during the flight, esp during descent.

chew gum (not nice I know, but it does help) or suck sweets before take-off and descent.

use otarine ear drops one hour before take-off and half an hour before descent.

You could use a prescribed nasal spray or saline solution squirted up your nostrils before a flight to help clear your sinuses. You could also use the saline now to try to unblock your ears (buy from any chemist, big bottles are around 75 baht). Chiang Mai is a markedly polluted city, and sinus sufferers need regular breaks (eg to the mountains or the beach).

Best wishes and hope another poster can help with a referral to a good ENT doc.

[Pink Mist]

try a natural solution, horseradish and garlic, we get it here (in Oz) in capsule form from health shops and pharmacies, it works a treat.

Failing that use a steroid, beconaise or becontide dispenser they work too.

[PeaceBlondie]

Rather than go to a specialist in separate buildings or addresses, I just go to the Sripat clinic (13th floor) at Maharaj, outside Suan Dok gate. I go to the first floor ahead of time and ask for the specialist I need.

When I earned my salary doing simulated flights under low pressure, if we had temporary sinus blockage, we didn't go into the low pressure chamber. If it was minor, we'd take a decongestant like liquid neosynephrine. Ask a good (real) local pharmacist for a newer brand of nasal spray for decongestion.

If it persists, see a specialist. If the pain doesn't clear while in descent, stretch your jaw to open the Eustachian tubes that connect your mouth to your middle ear. The valsalva maneuver is more direct and powerful: close your mouth and nose and gently blow into your mouth cheeks. Gently.

[Lobin]

I haven't seen Clear Ease but you could try one of those little vicks inhalers. If that fails ask your pharmacist if pernazene inhaler would help.

thanks for the info, I actually carry one of them around with me permanently, not just for sinuses, i swear they are addictive to inhale, unfortunately although my nose was clear as a bell it couldnt break through to my sinuses.

as for the inhaler, I shall ask the pharmacist, think i might overbaggage with amount of perscription drugs i shall be taking back with me!

[Lobin]

Just a quick post to ask if anyone can recommend a good sinus, (ear, nose and throat) specialist in CM?

And any advice for painful sinuses whilst flying, have been flying for many years now, but recently have experienced problems upon descent, thought it was a head cold but has sustained itself over 3 weeks.

I have heard that CLEAR EASE could be a possible solution. Anyone know if this is readily available in CM?

I am sorry that I cannot recommend an ENT specialist here in CM, but may I ask you if you had a cold already when you flew?

If so, I would consult a doctor immediately, especially if you are feeling at all giddy or have a feeling of fullness in your ear/head.

A few tips which have helped me with similar sinus pain problems:

sip water during the flight, esp during descent.

chew gum (not nice I know, but it does help) or suck sweets before take-off and descent.

use otarine ear drops one hour before take-off and half an hour before descent.

You could use a prescribed nasal spray or saline solution squirted up your nostrils before a flight to help clear your sinuses. You could also use the saline now to try to unblock your ears (buy from any chemist, big bottles are around 75 baht). Chiang Mai is a markedly polluted city, and sinus sufferers need regular breaks (eg to the mountains or the beach).

Best wishes and hope another poster can help with a referral to a good ENT doc.

I did indeed have a slight head cold the previous week. thankfully the pains went away about 4 hours after landing, no dizziness felt at all.

its a strange one as my ears were clearing fine, it was just the intense pain behind the eyebrow, in my sinus that was hurting.

I shall try the nasal spray for sure as it will reach the affected area a lot quicker.

many thanks for your post reply!

[Lobin]

i shall try that indeed, i must admit i was a little dehydrated before the flight, so maybe that didnt help the problem.

I have actually found a good site relating to this problem if anyone else is interested, its http://www.ent-consult.com/

many thanks to everyone who has replied to my comments, all thoughts have been noted and I have list of what to try and buy for my next flight.

if it still doesnt work i shal be back to pick your brains again

That sort of pain can come due to sinuses drying up. If it happens after the flight, try some hot water in a sink with a towel over your head to soften/drain the block.

You might try the same sort of thing in advance of flying to pre-empt the problem.

In flight, sniff hot steaming coffee?

Just a quick post to ask if anyone can recommend a good sinus, (ear, nose and throat) specialist in CM?

And any advice for painful sinuses whilst flying, have been flying for many years now, but recently have experienced problems upon descent, thought it was a head cold but has sustained itself over 3 weeks.

I have heard that CLEAR EASE could be a possible solution. Anyone know if this is readily available in CM?

I am sorry that I cannot recommend an ENT specialist here in CM, but may I ask you if you had a cold already when you flew?

If so, I would consult a doctor immediately, especially if you are feeling at all giddy or have a feeling of fullness in your ear/head.

A few tips which have helped me with similar sinus pain problems:

sip water during the flight, esp during descent.

chew gum (not nice I know, but it does help) or suck sweets before take-off and descent.

use otarine ear drops one hour before take-off and half an hour before descent.

You could use a prescribed nasal spray or saline solution squirted up your nostrils before a flight to help clear your sinuses. You could also use the saline now to try to unblock your ears (buy from any chemist, big bottles are around 75 baht). Chiang Mai is a markedly polluted city, and sinus sufferers need regular breaks (eg to the mountains or the beach).

Best wishes and hope another poster can help with a referral to a good ENT doc.

[buddhafly]

you need to take a decongestant pill before you fly. simple as that.

[Lobin]

you need to take a decongestant pill before you fly. simple as that.

unfortunately not, i tried that, in fact i took over the daily allowable dose before during and after the flight but still had sinus pain.

[Polarbeast]

As you haven’t got a proper answer to your question, I will give it to you. It is evident that Chang Mai is far away from the coast with no divers on the forum, because anyone with any knowledge of diving could tell you what to do as divers encounter the same problem during descent.

The reason why you get a pain when the plane is descending, is the increase in preassure on your eardrum. To avoid this, you must equalize the preassure, and this can be done in a number of ways. One way is to yawn repetedly, ( this of course difficult for divers), but a more effective way is to block your nose (by pressing your thumb and index fingers on it) and then try to blow air out through your nose. Try it now, and you will notice a “blopping” noise in your ears.

Do it on the plane, and you will have no problems. You should preferably do it before you notice any pain. Chewing chewinggum might help, because it has the same effect as yawning.

If you have a cold, it might create a problem becuse of the swollen sinus. What divers do then, is to inhale a little seawater (= salty water) through their nose. This will normally help

You might ask why you don’t get any pain while ascending, that is because the equalization happens by itself

I don’t know why the airline companies never tell you this!

Edited February 6, 2007 by Polarbeast

[Austhaied]

As you haven’t got a proper answer to your question, I will give it to you. It is evident that Chang Mai is far away from the coast with no divers on the forum, because anyone with any knowledge of diving could tell you what to do as divers encounter the same problem during descent.

The reason why you get a pain when the plane is descending, is the increase in preassure on your eardrum. To avoid this, you must equalize the preassure, and this can be done in a number of ways. One way is to yawn repetedly, ( this of course difficult for divers), but a more effective way is to block your nose (by pressing your thumb and index fingers on it) and then try to blow air out through your nose. Try it now, and you will notice a “blopping” noise in your ears.

Do it on the plane, and you will have no problems. You should preferably do it before you notice any pain. Chewing chewinggum might help, because it has the same effect as yawning.

If you have a cold, it might create a problem becuse of the swollen sinus. What divers do then, is to inhale a little seawater (= salty water) through their nose. This will normally help

You might ask why you don’t get any pain while ascending, that is because the equalization happens by itself

I don’t know why the airline companies never tell you this!

It's called the "valsalva maneuver". And there is at least 5 commercial divers that i know of that live in Chiang Mai.. And i know of at least 10 who read and post on this forum.. And its pressure on the inner and middle ear, not eardrum.. What we do when we fly is get plastered on the piss, then just pass out on the plane, problem solved.. Or contact your nearest hyperbaric doctor for a consultation...

Edited February 6, 2007 by Austhaied

[meatgrowler]

Just a quick post to ask if anyone can recommend a good sinus, (ear, nose and throat) specialist in CM?

And any advice for painful sinuses whilst flying, have been flying for many years now, but recently have experienced problems upon descent, thought it was a head cold but has sustained itself over 3 weeks.

I have heard that CLEAR EASE could be a possible solution. Anyone know if this is readily available in CM?

i use nasonex nasal spray,2 squirts per nostril daily when my sinuses play up! ive tried many sprays,this actually works!i have to get it on a uk subscription.....must be able to buy in thai pharmacy?....also 1 hour before the plane desends,i will eat 2 nurofen,this tends to fight any pain that creeps up through pressure changes....havnt endured the pain since{12 flites later}