flying with a bad cold
Jul 13, 2016, 8:42 pm
#91
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Edi
Posts: 2,203
Resurrecting an old thread.
Last week with what felt like a mild cold, I took a short return flight within Asia, on descent I got a little pain and my ears wouldn't pop. Now here I am a week later and the cold has gone but my left ear is still muffled and feels full. Does anyone have any tricks to clear it?
I have been using Xylometazaline since yesterday, have tried Valsalva Manoeuvre, have tried hot showers on the ear. So far absolutely no effect. Very disorientating hearing in mono, any good suggestions?
Last week with what felt like a mild cold, I took a short return flight within Asia, on descent I got a little pain and my ears wouldn't pop. Now here I am a week later and the cold has gone but my left ear is still muffled and feels full. Does anyone have any tricks to clear it?
I have been using Xylometazaline since yesterday, have tried Valsalva Manoeuvre, have tried hot showers on the ear. So far absolutely no effect. Very disorientating hearing in mono, any good suggestions?
I seem to get this quite often. Apparently its very easy for the ear to get infected after a cold and cause this feeling, with or without accompanying soreness. Two things i have found work to get rid of it; pipette alcohol/vinegar mixture into your ear, and try sleeping with an extra pillow to keep your head raised and allow your ear to drain.
Jul 14, 2016, 12:54 am
#92
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,065
I think this means acute hyponatraemia - but very tricky to achieve orally. I wouldn't advise trying though.
Come on, I'm sure the OP has a (viral) cold - not life-threatening pneumonia or true bacterial sinusitis (rare BTW). I'm sure they will be fine on a plane. What on earth do you think the crew do?
Rarely have I found a thread so amusing, but perhaps that is because I am medically qualified
Jul 14, 2016, 3:27 am
#93
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,179
Ok - so here's a question. You are thick with cold and flying is not safe. How do you stand vis a vis your reservation?
Jul 14, 2016, 5:29 am
#95
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,111
PI do remember working back from ATH, and thinking I just had a little bit of a head cold, ears appeared to be OK, till we started decent into London. I was walking through the cabin with a tray of stuff to put in the bin and my head almost exploded with the most excruciating pain I have ever felt. I dropped the tray and was on my knees on the floor holding my head and crying.
Not pleasant, and I will never fly with it again, even though it will mean getting disciplined.
Not pleasant, and I will never fly with it again, even though it will mean getting disciplined.
I asked for hot drink urgently (tea in my case, but any will do) and put the cup (still upright) in the airsickness bag to make a steam inhaler, and held that to my face until the pain subsided. It got better quite quickly so I suspect my nose dried out and blocked the sinuses.
The crew (not BA, actually on AA) were disconcerted at a passenger clutching their face and trying not to scream during the descent, but responded helpfully quickly with a hot drink.
Jun 30, 2017, 3:12 am
#96
Join Date: May 2006
Location: MYF/CMA/SAN/YYZ/YKF
Programs: COdbaUA 1K MM, AA EXP, Bonbon Gold, GHA Titanium, Hertz PC, NEXUS and GE
Posts: 5,839
I find nothing better for this than using REAL Sudafed (aka, pseudoephedrine HCL). Not the trash PE stuff, but the stuff you have to go behind the counter to get. It is available without a prescription basically anywhere, though you usually have to go to the pharmacist to get it. It doesn't necessarily suppress symptoms like coughing and sneezing, but it does a very good job at improving breathing and giving you a slight boost in energy and acuity that allows you to get through your days.