Is it okay to take Sudafed before flying?

Spray Afrin nasal decongestant spray twice into each nostril one hour prior to flying. Begin taking a decongestant, like Sudafed, one hour before the flight. Both of these medications can be purchased over-the-counter in a drug store.



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If you have sinus pressure during flights then you should bring along a decongestant spray (Oxymetazoline or Phenylephrine), found in the nasal aisle at the drug store, and use it approximately one hour before a flight of any duration.

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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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Two common recommendations: 12-hour or 24-hour Sudafed or Afrin nasal spray. If you opt for the nasal spray, give yourself a spray 30 minutes before takeoff and again about 30 minutes prior to descent.

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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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If your sinuses are congested, however, there will be an unbalanced amount of pressure. Not only can that be a very painful experience, but it can also increase nasal congestion, heighten allergies, worsen colds, and even trauma to the sinuses, if severe enough.

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Take this medicine at least 30 minutes or, even better, 1 to 2 hours before you begin to travel.

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If you start to notice this pressure building, you can try some of these strategies:
  1. Take an antihistamine if needed before your flight. ...
  2. Yawn or swallow during takeoff.
  3. Try chewing a piece of gum or candy during takeoff, if yawning and swallowing don't work for you.


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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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Can a patient have irrigation prior to flying? Yes, flying is not a contraindication to ear irrigation. Once the wax has been removed, you should advise the patient to keep their ears dry for 2-3 days to allow the ear canal to produce more wax, which is its natural protection.

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