Any advice for flying with a cold on a long flight (ORD-LHR)? The only other time I tried it, I was on a short flight and was in pain all the way (from the pressurization). Anyone have any secret remedy or trick to keep ear pain to a minimum?

Thanks in advance!

I recently flew SFO/TPE with a cold in both directions. The "good news" is that often the larger planes have better pressure regulation than the 737s/MD80s, etc. Here's what I did, and the flights were bearable. A decongestant. An antihistamine that will help you sleep (such as 50mg Benadryl). LOTS of water. Hot tea. On the way back, when it was really bad, I blew my nose a lot (in the lavs). In fact, during one "attack", I first used the upstairs lav, and then downstairs, used each one down the plane. Walking around seemed to help.

If the ear pain develops and becomes absolutely unbearable, as the flight attendant to prepare the hot wet towels in the paper cup treatment. But only do this if you are ready to scream. Many say that this isn't so good for your ears. However, after one flight when it felt like someone was shattering glass bottles in the sinus cavities around my eyes and I was bent over in tears... I'll do the towel/cup thing. Did it twice. A miracle.

Flying with a cold advice! Don't!

If someone gets on with a cold, everyone gets off with a cold depending on their resistence. The immune system is the key. I feed mine daily, and have avoided the viruses.

The best advice is not to fly. That keeps you from spreading germs and lessens the possibility of lasting ear problems.

And I know of what I speak. I popped an eardrum three years ago and things weren't totally healed for several months. In addition to pain and some temporary hearing problems, I was kept on antibiotics for close to a month (til the eardrum sealed) and had to pay for bi-weekly drs visits, to ensure there was no infection. Not to mention a few assorted work problems, as I had to avoid a few loud recording sessions and shows.

No lasting harm, but there is potential for hearing loss in these cases.

I was advised to ALWAYS begin a cycle of decongestants 24-36 hours before a flight. (Even if I am feeling well---allergies caused my congestion, not a virus.) Over the counters will do, though I'm now on a heavy duty one.

The upside is these decongestants force you to drink more water.

If you must fly with a cold or sinusitis, you might try this remedy:

Benzedrex inhaler

It is available OTC (I get mine at Walgreen's) and has worked like a charm on several occasions. The trick seems to be to use it about 1/2 hour before beginning the descent, when it is harder to equalize the pressure with inflamed eustachian tubes.

Inhale deeply...twice in each nostril while closing off the other nostril. It will burn like the dickens (it is packed with lavender oil as well as a potent decongestant), and you may tear up for a minute, but it really helps to open up the eustachian tubes.

Good luck!

Please remember that any pain associated with the sinus/ears/eustachian tubes should not occur until the descent has begun. In other words, if you experience pain on the way up or during level flight, something is wrong other than the normal association of pressure differential between the sinuses and the ambiant atmosphere.

During the descent, the eustachian tubes act to balance the pressure between the interior sinus cavities and the external atmosphere. If these passages are clogged, the potential exists for pain due to the difference in pressure. To clear use the valsalva technique, pinch off your nostrils and close mouth and expel air from the lungs, tilting the head from side to side during this can help to open. Or use a decongestant as described above.

Remember, sinus pressure shouldn't occur on the way up or in level flight. If it does, you have something else wrong with you.

What is the "hot wet towels in the paper cup treatment"?

Also, not quite sure from your post, but I should only ask for the treatment "if I am ready to scream". Do you mean as in I am ready to scream because of my ear pain and can't take it any more, or because I need to prepare for the pain that the wet towels in the paper cup treatment is about to inflict and I need to be ready to scream in a crowed airplane?

The "hot wet towel in a paper cup" treatment is this: Put a paper or cloth towel in the bottoms of two paper coffee cups, then pour in just enough boiling water to thoroughly soak the towels. Immediately put the cups to your ears, keeping as tight a seal as possible. The steam that gets created will help to unblock your ears.

From personal experience, this can work. (Your mileage may, of course, vary.) However, I have also heard from health care professionals who say that this treatment also creates an incredibly fertile environment for very bad things to happen.

[This message has been edited by wideman (edited 11-02-2000).]

I have had sinus troubles in the past, and colds cause the same symptoms. I have all too much experience with these problems.

Decongestant is generaly pseudephrine with a brand name of "Sudafed" and is available generically for much less (usually little red pills that look like the Sudafed brand pills).

They only last about 3 hours. And there is a "rebound" effect so later on when they wear off things can be worse.

I take it about an hour before descent. That way, I'm in good shape for descent where the problem is. If I have connections, I'll take another dose before descent on the connecting flight.

The rest of the time in flight I don't take anything.

But I have learned something very, very important: I NEVER take ANTI HISTAMINE when I am on an airplane. This is REALLY BAD. It closes up the breathing passages and makes the descent very, very painful and possibly dangerous on your eardrum (because the pressues can't equalize through the constricted sinus passages).

Anti histamines are present in many cold medicines because they relieve some of the drippiness and nose running associated with the cold. But DO NOT USE THESE ON THE PLANE. Stay away from these and only take the decongestant.

(Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and you should follow your doctor's advice blah blah)

Follow YOUR doctors advice!

Excellent advice!

What Joanek relates makes me somewhat concered. I flew from EWR to SFO several weeks ago. I had what I considered a minor cold, some sniffles, not sneezing or plugged nose. I had a late dinner meeting and could hear just fine. The next morning I woke up and could not hear at all out of my left ear. It was as though someone had literally stuffed a cotton ball deep inside. I just assumed that it would go away. Well, I still have not seen a doctor due to my unreal schedule the last several weeks. I have been flying at least twice a week since and have not experienced any pain on any flight, I just cannot hear out of my left ear. I know, it is time to get some medical attention if I could just stay home long enough to get into someone's office.

Transborder:

Did you have intense ear pain? The kind that finally made you understand WHY small children are shrieking when the plane descends? Or like your brain was going to explode out of your ears?

If so, be concerned. That's how I felt. Worse than a migraine.

If you're closed up on one side with no pain, it's likely that your tubes are, to be too simple, clogged. You doc would probably suggest a few days of decongestants and then to come in if nothing improves.

As others have said, use a decongestant, ie psuedoepherine (Sudafed) 60mg every 4-6 hrs. Benadryl is fine for a sleep aid as well. Keep hydrated, no carbinated or alcoholic beverages.

As far as other "sick" pax on-board, the airflow in airliners is not from front to back or back to front. The air you breathe is more or less exchanged with the 2 rows in front of and behind you, and most airlines use HEPA filters. Of course if your seatmate sneezes all over you, the afore mentioned things aren't of much consequence. If you want more info on cabin air quality, you can visit my website (International Health and Travel Medicine) at http://ihtm.11net.com/tw.htm

One more thing. A friend and I once went up in a private plane, a small Cessna. My friend had a severe cold and didn't take a decongestant. He in fact had severe problems from the flight and lost a good deal of hearing from one ear (permanently unfortuantely). So I am very careful. Again, I would summarize what I find works

1. no anti histamines of any kind
2. take decongestant about 1 hour before descent.

Hi, everyone! Longtime reader, novice poster.

In addition to taking decongestants (as recommended by my doctor) when I fly, it also helps me a lot to use Earplanes, a special kind of earplugs sold in drugstores and travel stores. No, I don't own stock in the company, but I do recommend trying them if decongestants alone don't work.

Having had horrible ear pain one time when I had 3 landings in one day without having taken any precautions, I now use decongestants on a one-landing day and decongestants-plus-Earplanes on a two-landing day. Works for me!

Note: I haven't flown with a bad cold and would be scared to try.