Be careful when flying while sick...I perforated an eardrum years ago (probably the worst pain I've ever experienced), and my hearing hasn't been the same on that side since.

I end up flying with colds and allergy flair ups all the time though now...since I fly for a living, I'd probably be out of a job if I stayed home every time I was congested. A good decongestant is a must - take it about an hour before you fly any time you feel mucous-y. Nasal sprays can be very helpful, too, though I personally don't like to use them often. Obviously, drink a lot of water when flying, whether you're sick or not!

If you have ear block after a flight (that feeling of pressure you describe sounds like it) and you're still unable to clear your ears, you should see your doctor or go to a walk-in clinic. The employee clinic at the airline I work for has a protocol of prescribing high-dose prednisone for ear block - I suppose it reduces the inflammation quickly and helps open the sinuses and eustacian tubes. Not sure if it'd be appropriate for the average passenger, but it's very helpful for us since we're often right back up in the air again after it happens.

Hope you're feeling better by now. :) Keep some strong decongestants in your travel bag in case it happens again!

Just a word of caution on the idea of loading up with lots of sudafed and OTC Afrin: if you have hypertension or coronary artery disease, or are older, this could be dangerous (the product labels warn about this, but we all know hardly anyone reads these). Some people's blood pressure surges 30 or more points systolic with just one or two doses of sudafed. Check with your doctor and/or monitor your blood pressure before loading up with this stuff.

Often obscure2K's recommendations above for hot and sour soup and Scotch are safer for people with borderline cardiovascular health! (I just finished my fourth bucket of hot and sour soup in 3 days, having spent Christmas in a very cold Minnesota and coming down with a nasty bug! :)

I also had an eardrum rupture in flight -- and yes, it feels like entire head wil explode. Thankfully, in "F", FA's kindly brought bottled water, but nothing stopped the pain until the darn thing burst.

I'd flown outbound following all MD instructions for use of decongestants, nasal sprays. Doc recommended Afrin for me as well -- OK if very temporary, and it worked the very first time I used it on outbound flight. THought I was fine for return three days later, with same strategy, but Afrin failed (didn't ever work quite as effectively as first-ever dose), and eardrum ruptured on ascent from DTW-LGA. After stopver in NYC and call to my MD, I canceled last flight segment and opted to take Amtrak home. Have not had hearing tested since, but worry about lasting damage.

Not to forget that its also very selfish. Unless you are wearing a face mask you run the risk of making everyone around you sick as well.

I've had numerous ENT issues over the years, several with similar symptoms but different diagnosis and remedies. Do yourself a favor and go to a doctor. FT is not a place for medical diagnosis. I would bet none of the above posters is an MD - a real MD would never attempt to diagnose from a two sentence web posting

When I was about 9, I took a Reno Air flight from Orlando to Hartford to see family in CT. My sister was sick that week, but I didn't know I was sick. My head felt like exploding as well. The FA had me put two cups with hot towels in them to clear it up. It worked like a charm!