Can flying block your sinuses?

The dry air, low pressure, and the low amount of oxygen cause the immune system to weaken and can lead to inflamed sinus cavities. This, in addition to being confined in a small area with little airflow, makes it hard to avoid getting sinusitis from another sick passenger.



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There are multiple factors play into why people get sick after a long flight. The dry air, low pressure, and the low amount of oxygen cause the immune system to weaken and can lead to inflamed sinus cavities.

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Flying can indeed affect your hearing and irritate your sinuses, particularly due to the changes in cabin pressure and the dry air in airplane cabins.

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Some studies suggest that the cabin pressure changes in the airplane, which are more pronounced during takeoff and landing, affects the head and sinuses in a way that triggers a headache. Another possible explanation for AHs is a fear of flying, which can cause stress and anxiety and subsequently trigger a headache.

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It is not recommended to fly with acute intracranial hypertension because the conditions in the plane can worsen your condition and cause excruciating pain. If you have chronic or benign intracranial hypertension, you might be able to fly if your condition is under control.

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Some studies suggest that the cabin pressure changes in the airplane, which are more pronounced during takeoff and landing, affects the head and sinuses in a way that triggers a headache.

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Sinus barotrauma is a tissue injury caused by a rapid change in barometric pressure difference between the intrasinusal air and the surrounding atmosphere. This pathologic condition occurs most commonly in scuba divers and flight passengers subjected to abrupt pressure changes [1].

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Feeling unwell directly after a flight is often the cause of low humidity. Planes have a different atmospheric pressure than we are used to, which can cause the nasal passages to dry, leading to symptoms resembling flu.

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Plane travel makes jet lag worse because your body moves much faster than your brain and circadian rhythms can process the time change. Other aspects of travel can also contribute to jet lag and may make symptoms worse: Long periods of sitting on a plane. Lack of oxygen and decreased air pressure in the airplane cabin.

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Airplane headache (AH) is an intense, short lasting headache - usually lasts around 30 min [1], and is exclusively related to airplane travels.

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