Can you fly with sinus and ear pressure?

If possible, don't fly when you have a cold, a sinus infection, nasal congestion or an ear infection. If you've recently had ear surgery, talk to your doctor about when it's safe to travel. Use an over-the-counter nasal spray.



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If suffering from a sinus infection while flying, you may experience severe sinus pressure and pain. We recommend avoiding air travel when possible if you have a sinus infection. By treating the root cause of your sinus pressure and pain, you can avoid a lifetime of painful flights.

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The pressure changes that occur during this time cause rapid changes in the air pressure and balance of your ear, which can cause the condition. The condition can be triggered by the common cold, sinus infections, and ear infections, and in rare cases could lead to hearing loss or chronic tinnitus.

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If you're awake during ascents and descents, you can do the necessary self-care techniques when you feel pressure in your ears. Reconsider travel plans. If possible, don't fly when you have a cold, a sinus infection, nasal congestion or an ear infection.

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Two of the most common ways to manage sinus pain while flying are chewing gum or sipping water during take-off and landing. You can also try taking medications such as decongestants or using the Valsalva maneuver.

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You can fly with a sinus infection, but to avoid unnecessary pain and sinus pressure, it's best not to fly. The changes in air pressure while flying can cause your symptoms to worsen. When your sinuses are clogged, your body can't equalize the pressure difference, so you feel pain in your head.

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Take a decongestant pill or use nasal spray before the flight. Get filtered earplugs which help to gradually equalize the air pressure against your middle ear.

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Treat congestion before your trip
If you're congested from allergies or an upper respiratory infection, it's important to do what you can to resolve the congestion before you fly. Common treatments for congestion include antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal steroid sprays.

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Tips for Easing Ear Plane While Flying Swallowing and yawning: Swallowing can help open the Eustachian tube and equalize the pressure in your ear. Try chewing gum, sucking on hard candy, or sipping water during takeoff and landing to encourage swallowing. Yawning can also help.

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Try filtered earplugs. These earplugs slowly equalize the pressure against your eardrum during ascents and descents. You can purchase these at drugstores, airport gift shops or a hearing clinic. However, you'll still need to yawn and swallow to relieve pressure.

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Avoid flying when sick The common cold and other upper respiratory tract infections that cause congestion and ear infection are risk factors for airplane ear. If a person can avoid traveling during this time, it may help prevent ear pain.

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Changes in air pressure during flying can cause ear-drum pain and perforation, vertigo, and hearing loss. It has been estimated that 10% of adults and 22% of children might have changes to the ear drum after a flight, although perforation is rare.

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“If you've got inflammation blocking your means of equalizing the pressure, that's going to hurt,” he said. That pain can continue even after your flight as inflammation prevents the pressure from equalizing, Adalja added. It can also lead to trouble hearing, vertigo, and in rare cases, damage to the eardrum, Wu said.

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It is recommended that if you have a cold that you do not fly; this should be enforced by airlines in the case of aircrew, and aircrew are required to self-report any symptoms of cold, flu, or similar.

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But the pain is only temporary — it won't cause any lasting problems for kids and usually will ease within a few minutes as the Eustachian tubes open to let the air pressure equalize on both sides of the eardrums.

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To ease discomfort, you can take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), or an analgesic pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).

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