Interesting, Daze. I found that pressing very hard against both temples helped a bit, too. Of course, you look like a nut there pressing against both sides of your head and rocking back & forth. Still, it did help and at that point that was all important.

My whole family has suffered with this problem and, have found two satisfactory solutions. The first which seems to be infallible, but requires more advance planning, is to buy oil of eucalyptus in a drug store and bring it and Qtips on flights. As soon as descent begins, dab a little under each nostril. Clears out the sinuses for a long enough period. Only downside is that a generous application may bother those around you. A somewhat simpler alternative is to carry a small bottle of Vick's Vaporub with you and dab a small amount under (not in) each nostril, again, just as descent begins. Not quite as effective as the oil of eucalyptus, but generally gets the job done.

amazing
 

It's been 6 years since this thread has gone up, but I am so happy to read about other people who know about "i want to cut open my eye/eyebrow and release all of its contents" type of pain that I knew I had to post a reply. I basically suffer from this 30% of my travel time, usually terrible and once in a while "i think I will just faint from this pain" terrible. Most of my episodes last for a few days, a few for weeks even.

and to all those who wonder if something does blow up up there - the answer is yes. I had one episode where (I think) one of capillaries cracked open so I had a very visible vein running from my forehead to my nose for a few days. In another episode, capillaries near my sinuses got damaged (again, my humble opinion) and there was a bloody mucus discharge to my throat for weeks (woke up spitting blood every morning.. not the best way to start your day).

Holding recurring sinus troubles in check (antibiotics every 2 years) and decongestants help. I also started wearing a winter hat during flights to keep the area warm, which doesn't help 100% but makes the pain less intense..

So next time you see someone walk in to a flight with no hat on and put one out in panic midflight, just smile.. no we are not crazy.. just in great pain.

I find I run into this problem mostly when I fly into my home airport of Vancouver from points east and north (transpolar routes). Due to the nearby mountains, the planes need to descend quickly and suddenly rather than the more gradual descent of other airports. Decongestants help alot. Reduces the pain from "taking a knife and gouging out my eye" to something that is much more tolerable. Also trying to clear my nose out just before the final descent. I don't find that many problems going into other airports. Toronto is generally fine, so are LHR, LAX, SEA, etc... Any pain is pretty mild at worst.

I'll have to find the euc. oil and see if it could survive under the new no liquids regime.

hmmph, and they wonder why babies cry on planes and they blame it on bad parenting!


Well, I have had it sooo bad that I felt like when Captain Kirk is holding is ears and falling to the floor yelling, SPOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just chew lots of gum and try to avoid dairy products the day before a flight. This works for prepping for scuba too. It also helps if you dont drink booze and if you are not overweight.

This relates to MilesBuzz how? :confused:

Sorry. :D

It's just that the first reply in "Welcome to MilesBuzz! Read me first!" is from somebody named Marathon Man. So I know you know the rules. :D :D

What a wonderful wonderful wonderful thread seriously! I, too, had this happen to me on at about a dozen of flights, and it is incredibly painful. I actually can't bear it to the point that some FA would look at me weirdly (but never ask if anything was wrong, maybe I can contain the look on my face somewhat, maybe they just dont care).

I want to add that I have a chronic sinus problem (have to blow my nose from mild congestion about every hour or so), and that is certainly attributable to the pain.
Following advice from the board, i will now buy Afrin and use it before take off. Thank you!

hey nowwwwww

what about the OP's post of non-milesbuzz, and all the other 2.5 pages of posters who are here before mine? :D:D:D

Why me! oh why me!
SPOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!

(BTW, you can get MILES from buying AFRIN and you can get MILES from flying on flights where you have sinus pain so THERE! :D)

;)MM

um that nut would be me.:D

I just saw this thread and I too suffered from this only twice.

The first time I remember clearly we were in descent into Brisbane Airport on a QF767. Having flown tons of times before it was a first. The sharp stabbing, behind the eye and into the forehead, etc, etc etc.

But what I did noticed was that as soon as the door of the aircraft was opened, immediate relief. My medical history is (-) for allergies and sinusitis but I think I was on hte tail one of a cold and coughed up up (no pun) to congestion.


Has anyone else found IMMEDIATE relief upon door opening?

We often 'grandfather' especially old threads in MilesBuzz, allowing those that existed here before the board "grew up" to include more forums to remain here.

But in this case it does seem like the issue will find its best audience in the TravelBuzz forum, so I hope to help those interested in the topic by moving it there.

Regards
Gary
aka gleff
MilesBuzz moderator

I have had this problem many times. I have found two things help me:

1) Take one Dayquil gelcap about 45 minutes before landing. However, haven't tried that since Dayquil changed their formula :mad:

2) The past couple of times I'm had this problem, as soon as the pain starts I blow my nose. Immediate relief. Sometimes it starts building up again, and I blow again. Miraculously, the pain goes away!

don't forget the landing
 

Doctor's advice to me when I was traveling with barely cleared sinusitis (he'd actually made me postpone the trip on originally planned schedule): spray decongestant 15 minutes before take-off AND before landing.

Make sure you buy and test the right decongestant
 

If you're planning to use a decongestant, test that it works for you ahead of flying.

Because the US gov't has made pseudoephedrine more difficult to buy, many allergy or cold medicines use phenylephine instead. If you *don't* have to show your ID and sign a guestbook when buying your allergy medicine, then you've bought phenylephine.

The problem is that it doesn't work well for some people. I found this out myself-- luckily just on the ground-- when I bought a phenylephine-mix cold medicine. That led to one night's lost sleep, because my sinuses stayed as bad as if I'd taken nothing at all. As soon as I took a pseudoephedrine my sinuses became tolerable.

You wouldn't want to find out if it works or not during the descent.

I've also had the horrid experience of developing a clogged ear because of a cold during a flight. The best solution for that- along with a decongestant- is to continuously sip water until it lands. I drank well over a liter of water for that. I'd always try to carry water for flights before that, but after that I would double check.

That was before the water ban: I can't imagine how my eardrum would have survived with today's rules. Imagine having to beg for several cups of water in order to fill your empty water bottle (this was in a country that today bans bringing water on board, even after security).

again, I would never take an antihistamine when on a plane. Never. They work the opposite of decongestants and they constrict the sinus passages. That causes pain when you descend. If you are going to take medication, take only pseudephrine and nothing that contains antihistamines.