How to Stop Sinus Pain While Flying
Flying can already be mentally and physically draining, but when you throw sinus pain and pressure into the mix, flying can become unbearable. Let’s take a look at what causes sinus pain and pressure while flying and what you can do to stop it.
What is Sinus Pain?
Your sinuses, or sinus cavities, are the empty spaces in your nose, face, and around your eyes that play a key role in keeping you healthy. They do this by producing mucus that traps bacteria and viruses so they can drain out of your body. Pain and pressure come when the sinus cavities become blocked, inflamed, or disrupted. It can get worse when you bend over, and you can feel the pain in the nose, cheeks, forehead, and eyes.
If this is what you feel when you are flying, then you are probably suffering from sinus pain. There can be one or multiple causes of your sinus pain.
Why Do I Get Sinus Pain When I Fly?
Your body reacts to pressure changes throughout a flight to avoid additional pressure and pain from building up. However, when your body is slow to react because of an underlying sinus issue, pressure can build and cause pain. If you often experience sinus pain during flights then you may be suffering from any number of the following:
- Acute sinusitis
- Chronic sinusitis
- Recurrent sinusitis
- Ear infection
- Cold
- Flu
Sinusitis is one of the most common causes of pain and pressure while flying.
Am I suffering from Sinusitis?
Sinusitis or rhinosinusitis occurs when the tissue lining of the sinuses becomes inflamed and swollen. The inflammation can prevent the sinuses from draining and flushing out toxins. This buildup of toxins can cause any of the following symptoms:
- Sinus pressure
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Reduced sense of smell
- Halitosis
- Nasal drip
- Facial pain
- Coughing
- Sore throat
The pain and pressure from sinus infections can really put a damper on your life, work, and family. If you are thinking of flying and have a sinus infection, you may suffer from pain throughout the flight. We recommend not flying if possible while suffering from a sinus infection. At Gulf Coast Breathe Free we can help solve your current sinus infections as well as the root causes. By treating the cause, we can help you avoid a lifetime of miserable flights
Discover today how balloon sinuplasty at Gulf Coast Breathe Free can help solve your sinus issues long term.
Although we recommend not flying with a sinus infection, we know it can be unavoidable sometimes, so here are some tips.
How to Relieve Sinus Pressure While Flying
A few tips to ease sinus pain and pressure while flying include:
- Chew gum during both takeoff and landing to avoid sinus pressure
- Swallowing water or just swallowing in general can help you to temporarily relieve sinus pain and pressure during takeoff and landing
- Use decongestants or other medications to avoid sinus issues while flying
- During landing you can take the following steps to help relieve sinus pressure and pain
- Keep your mouth closed
- Close your nostrils with one hand
- Gently try to exhale out of your nose slowly
- Continue until the pressure is lessened
While these methods may achieve temporary relief, the best way to get long term relief is by visiting Gulf Coast Breathe Free. We can treat the underlying causes of your sinus issues so that you will be able to Breathe Free again!