Can flying with a cold cause a sinus infection?

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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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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Avoid Sinus Pain on an Airplane By: Drinking plenty of water will help your body resist the effects of poor ventilation and high altitude. Before and during the flight, make sure you drink about 5-8 glasses of water in order to maintain healthy levels of hydration. Invest in a Saline Solution.

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During lift-off and landing, changes in the air pressure inside the plane's cabin, affects the air inside and outside of your head. If your sinuses are congested, this means an unbalanced amount of pressure, which can be a painful experience.

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If you fly with a head cold or seasonal allergies, Dr. Pinkston said it's possible you may significantly stretch your eardrum because your Eustachian tubes wouldn't be working properly to equalize pressure. If the stretching of the eardrum is considerable, these problems may occur: Capillaries in the ear break.

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What to do before you fly with cold symptoms
  1. Take decongestants. Medicines like Sudafed work to reduce swelling around your Eustachian tubes, giving the ear more of a shot at equalizing, says Linder. ...
  2. Try nasal sprays. Really stuffed up? ...
  3. Pack lozenges. Keep hard candy to suck on or gum to chew in your carry-on as well.


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