Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > TravelBuzz
Reload this Page >

Sinus Pain? More like an Icepick in my Head..

Sinus Pain? More like an Icepick in my Head..

Old Jul 31, 2008, 9:54 am
  #46  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 2
Originally Posted by Pat89339
Welcome to FlyerTalk Brummiered!

I'm glad you found some suggestions for handling your problem in this thread. I am always amazed at the information available on FlyerTalk and have accumulated many helpful things along the way.

Cheers.

I decided to visit the doctor and have been advised what I have is likely to be Trigeminal Neuralgia.

The symptoms described are exactly what I had so it may be worth other looking at if your pain transferred to your teeth, cheek, etc
Brummiered is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2008, 6:47 pm
  #47  
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: CP-ASEL,AMEL,G-IA in Tucson, Arizona, United States
Posts: 1,124
This may be more info then anyone here needs, but it may be useful: http://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/a..._gas/index.cfm
tlglenn is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2008, 4:04 am
  #48  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: EWR Ionosphere Club, LAX Clipper Club, Still Traveling Global, yearly BIS miles
Programs: EAL Silver Wings, I-Club, Flying Colonels DL, WorldPass PLat from the olde Meatball and PE SMARTbank
Posts: 1,976
Does anyone have a doctor they can recommed in london? My usual regime of pseudoephedrine and antihistamines is not working and I have to fly soon, thanks!
frank_10b is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2008, 9:40 am
  #49  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 382
I've had nasty sinus problems as well, and ended up having two surgical procedures which helped somewhat. All the same, I'd add to the advice above (much of which I agree with):
-Antihistamines aren't generally going to help
-Pseudoephedrine based products are going to be best - take a 12-hour sustained release product, at least a couple of hours before flying. Note that in the US (and Canada as well I believe) these products are still available without perscription but kept behind the counter with limits on how much a single customer can purchase. The OTC decongestents that are out on the shelves are generally going to be less effective. Make sure you see pseudoephidrine on the label.
-Lots and lots of water
-Corticosteroid products like flonase, nasonex, etc can be helpful
-The one ingredient I haven't seen mentioned here is guaifenesin. It's an expectorent, which basically just means it loosens the mucus so you can blow it out. It's available OTC in the states, marketed as Mucinex, but it's also available in combination with pseudoephedrine as a perscription only product called pseudovent. I find that one psedovent makes even the worst descent more than manageable.

Hope this helps.
jkirk is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2008, 9:53 am
  #50  
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Sometimes Houston, Sometimes London.
Programs: CO Gold Elite, BA Blue, for the moment - Hyatt Gold Passport, Priority Club, Marriott etc etc
Posts: 2,126
Originally Posted by frank_10b
Does anyone have a doctor they can recommed in london? My usual regime of pseudoephedrine and antihistamines is not working and I have to fly soon, thanks!
There is a walk-in doctor at the Farmacia on the Lower Ground Floor at Harrods; I know, going to a doctor at Harrods probably isn't terribly appealing but if anyone will have experience with travelers' complaints it'll probably be them.

After having spent most of day in the emergency room ("casualty") of a London hospital I don't recommend anyone go that route unless absolutely necessary - what a nightmare!
ElkeNorEast is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2008, 4:46 pm
  #51  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: EWR Ionosphere Club, LAX Clipper Club, Still Traveling Global, yearly BIS miles
Programs: EAL Silver Wings, I-Club, Flying Colonels DL, WorldPass PLat from the olde Meatball and PE SMARTbank
Posts: 1,976
Originally Posted by ElkeNorEast
There is a walk-in doctor at the Farmacia on the Lower Ground Floor at Harrods; I know, going to a doctor at Harrods probably isn't terribly appealing but if anyone will have experience with travelers' complaints it'll probably be them.

After having spent most of day in the emergency room ("casualty") of a London hospital I don't recommend anyone go that route unless absolutely necessary - what a nightmare!
Try to avoid the NHS A & E but cant be no worst than a 12 hour wait in a US city.

Thanks for all the advice, I am also using my gyms steamrooms for like 2 hours but it does not seem to be working this time. I will try these new drugs before I have to get on another flight. I am trying to avoid an infection, it is really packed up there and plus my heart rate seems to be tending high lately so I am try to avoid too much sudafed.
frank_10b is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2008, 5:22 pm
  #52  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1
Dreading the return!!

Wow - So i am not the only person who suffers this crazy pain!
I have just currently flown to SYD, BNE via Singapore from LHR. The pain when landing was enough to almost make me gag and cry...
I experienced this earlier in the year on a 'Return' flight from Finland. Interestingly not on the outward leg.
The same for the flights to AUS. No pain on the initial legs SIN & SYD but a few days later I flew SYD to Brisbane. Here is where the icepick was savagely inserted into my lower eye sockets.

I wonder if the dry air as someone else mentioned is the start of the issue?
I have been here now for a week, and still the symptoms havent completely subsided. I am dreading my return flight home on the 18th Dec.

Does anyone know what drugs can be brought in oz? I took sudfed before and during flights but did bugger all really.

Thanks all, and at least I now know this pain is worse than childbirth...
marko_h is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2008, 2:16 pm
  #53  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1
Talking Severe head pain!!!!! I have the cure

Your right It does feel like your being stabbed in the head with a ice pic.
I went to Thailand this year and boy was i terrified about the 7 flight I had to take. The first one was to china , then to bangkok the rest of the flight were commuter planes around Thailand. The big flight over there I did not experience the pain..........I thougt that's weird I always get the pain. I guess I just lucked out!!!!! Well all the 5 rest of the flights around Thailand were bad head pain everytime . I did find something to take alot of the pain away. 45 min before landing take 2 Excederin , then follow with nasal spray . I have tried many nasal sprays this one works . make sure its a 12 hour nasal spray that says oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.05%.
anneatwood is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2009, 11:31 pm
  #54  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Terra Australis Cognita
Posts: 5,350
Originally Posted by voyageuse
The FA immediately went into the galley and came out with 2 styrofoam cups loaded with steaming HOT wet towels, she then told me to place them over my ears and keep them there until we land. I did this and it worked! To my amazement!
Just wanted to thank FT for this trick. A friend of mine, recovering from flu, started getting major ear pain on descent during a recent flight -- the FA was initially a bit puzzled by my request, but the hot-towel-in-cup routine worked wonders. ^
jpatokal is offline  
Old Jan 5, 2009, 12:00 am
  #55  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Programs: Emirates Gold, BA Silver, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Posts: 97
I also have this issue- not quite as sharp as an ice pick, but initiating after about 6 hours of flight, and not ending until well after landing. On my last flight, I spent hours in the bathroom- my head hurt so much it literally made me sick to my stomach! Yuck. (anyone else have this head/stomach issue and have a great solution?)

After the pain subsides in the head, it inevitably becomes a cold- so I think the dry air issue that some above posters mentioned may trigger this whole thing.

I drink tons and tons of water on board, but knowing that there seem to be some solutions for this, I will definitely head to a doctor!
PurpleTravel is offline  
Old Jan 5, 2009, 3:25 pm
  #56  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Reston, Virginia, USA
Posts: 653
The final solution for me was surgery. The procedure and recovery are not fun, but it fixed the problem. Not only can I fly again, but I can scuba dive. The pressure change in an airliner is about 25%. The pressure change for a sport diver is about 400%.

Plus scuba descent is much faster than in an airliner. So You can see the surgery worked.
scubadiver is offline  
Old Jan 9, 2009, 9:59 pm
  #57  
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 227
Originally Posted by jpatokal
Just wanted to thank FT for this trick. A friend of mine, recovering from flu, started getting major ear pain on descent during a recent flight -- the FA was initially a bit puzzled by my request, but the hot-towel-in-cup routine worked wonders. ^
Greetings jpatokal,

Your very welcome, I'm glad this tip helped your friend feel better. I prefer getting an odd look from fellow passengers than enduring that crippling pain anyday!

Cheers!
voyageuse is offline  
Old Jan 25, 2009, 9:21 pm
  #58  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: New York City/NY22
Programs: AA Platinum 2.3MM (Lifetime PLT)
Posts: 5,285
I rarely get stuffed ears any more since the advice several years ago from an otolaryngologist to use pressure-reducing ear plugs on each flight (either Ear Planes or Flents FliteMates). One or the other of these is usually available in your CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc.

(Ear Planes are made also available in Europe from the French manufacturer Quis.)

If I am feeling congested before a flight I would take 12 hour Sudafed and still use the plugs.
Landing Gear is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2010, 1:07 pm
  #59  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1
Helpful Links

Aerosinusitis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerosinusitis

Barotrauma
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barotrauma

Barosinusitis
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/862964-overview
HawkInOz is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2010, 12:52 pm
  #60  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 510
I have this problem too ( pain behind the eye during descent ) . It only happens on some flights maybe 1 in 3 flights. After reading all the replies, it seems some easy solutions are:

1) don't be asleep during the descent since your body doesn't equalize pressure as well when asleep?

2) pinch your nose and breath out ( tried this but it does not seem to help too much )

3) lay your head back ( one person reported this helps, have not tried it )

4) hot towels in ears ( not sure this will help barosinusitis )

What do you think?
show_me_the_points is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.