Aircraft headaches

[Sir David Gray]

Ok so I flew out yesterday to Cyprus and the flight was going fine until about 30 minutes before landing. Out of nowhere, I had what I can only describe as the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life. On a scale of 1-10, this pain was about 20.

Suddenly a pain developed on the left side of my forehead and travelled down to my jaw. It felt like my head was going to explode. The worst of the pain lasted about 10 minutes before it eased down to a normal sore head before going completely by the time the plane landed.

I like to think I have a fairly high pain threshold but for that 10 minutes or so it was quite unbearable, I was almost in tears.

I've been sitting googling the symptoms today and it appears to be a known condition and it pretty much only happens just before the plane lands and seems to be sinus related. It must be quite a random thing as well as I have never experienced this during previous flights.

Some people have suggested using a nasal spray around 30 minutes before the plane begins to descend and other tips as well. Has anyone on here ever experienced this before and if so, has anyone taken anything or done anything which has prevented further problems?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I don't fancy the same experience on the flight home.

[The_Exile]

I've never experienced this myself but have heard of this. It's something to do with the change in cabin pressure at certain altitudes. Some people are incredibly sensitive to this, and apparently can go their whole life without experiencing it, then perhaps they get an ear infection or something and it rears it's head next time they are on a flight. It's apparently up there with cluster headaches as the worst pain you can experience, this is coming from women who have been through multiple childbirths and have confirmed the pain experienced is worse than childbirth!!! :faint:

[adhibs]

im guessing thats the same what happend to my mate a few years ago, always wonderd what was going on with him when we were landing. seems a lot of the same symptons and its fair to say he was in excruciating pain as well

[Sir David Gray]

I've never experienced this myself but have heard of this. It's something to do with the change in cabin pressure at certain altitudes. Some people are incredibly sensitive to this, and apparently can go their whole life without experiencing it, then perhaps they get an ear infection or something and it rears it's head next time they are on a flight. It's apparently up there with cluster headaches as the worst pain you can experience, this is coming from women who have been through multiple childbirths and have confirmed the pain experienced is worse than childbirth!!! :faint:

I do tend to get problems with my nose, usually first thing in the morning when I wake up. My nose is usually blocked and then it becomes quite irritable and I start sneezing for a few minutes. I also have an itch in my ears that I get almost daily.

I wonder if that's anything to do with it as well.

Whilst I've had no experience of childbirth, I can certainly vouch for it being the worst pain I've ever been in.

[johnbc70]

Sounds horrific. Would it put you off flying if you knew you would get it everytime?

[Sir David Gray]

Sounds horrific. Would it put you off flying if you knew you would get it everytime?

I would probably still fly to go on holiday and at least now I would try to prepare for it happening. Until yesterday I had never had any problems with flying so it came as a huge shock.

I would think twice about travelling by plane if I could get to my destination by an alternative method of transport.

[Hibrandenburg]

It's caused by blocked sinuses preventing the air pressure inside your head from equaling out to that of the air pressure outside your head on descent.

I've had it several times and have even perforated my eardrums a few times.

Best thing to do is avoid flying when you're blocked up or have recently had a cold. Failing that nasal spray or sniffing Karvol prior to descent.

[Haymaker]

Only had it when carrying a light cold, absolute agony! Thankfully the lovely dutch girl next to me had some painkillers. Life saver.

[Mon Dieu4]

Happened to a pal of mine a couple of years back, as others have said it's your sinuses, he gets a steroid nasal spray from the Dr and takes it for a few days before he flies now

[Sir David Gray]

Cheers for all the replies so far.

I think I'll be going to the doctors here before I come home and getting a nasal spray.

Do those who have either had the problem or know someone who's had it recommend taking the spray for a few days before travelling or would I be ok taking it a short while before the plane begins to come in for landing?

[Hibrandenburg]

Cheers for all the replies so far.

I think I'll be going to the doctors here before I come home and getting a nasal spray.

Do those who have either had the problem or know someone who's had it recommend taking the spray for a few days before travelling or would I be ok taking it a short while before the plane begins to come in for landing?

Take it before you get on and shortly before descent. Also try chewing gum. Breast feeding helps too :greengrin

[Sir David Gray]

Take it before you get on and shortly before descent. Also try chewing gum. Breast feeding helps too :greengrin

Cheers.

Might leave the breastfeeding idea though, I don't fancy getting lifted! :greengrin

[Pretty Boy]

Cheers for all the replies so far.

I think I'll be going to the doctors here before I come home and getting a nasal spray.

Do those who have either had the problem or know someone who's had it recommend taking the spray for a few days before travelling or would I be ok taking it a short while before the plane begins to come in for landing?

Only thing to watch with a medicated nasal spray is if used too often they can actually increase congestion due to rebound congestion.

I have horrendous sinus issues due to seasonal allergies and I use Sterimar which is essentially filtered sea water with a hypertonic salt content. Works wonders for easing the sinus pain and tenderness I get.

[overdrive]

I've never had this but I get dreadful earache on planes. I've had a lot of problems with my ears and hearing generally - including an infection in the mastoid bone, perforated eardrums, etc. - but the pain I get on flights when landing is worse than that and it is getting worse as I get older. The special earplugs for airplane use do help a bit. A couple of years ago I still I had pain the ear 3 days after landing.

[Sir David Gray]

I've never had this but I get dreadful earache on planes. I've had a lot of problems with my ears and hearing generally - including an infection in the mastoid bone, perforated eardrums, etc. - but the pain I get on flights when landing is worse than that and it is getting worse as I get older. The special earplugs for airplane use do help a bit. A couple of years ago I still I had pain the ear 3 days after landing.

My ears occasionally "pop" when the plane takes off and lands but I think that's quite common. It's annoying but nothing too extreme.

I've never had bad earache like you've described. Normally I'm totally fine on a plane but the headache I got was something I wouldn't wish on anyone.

[Jay]

I've never had this but I get dreadful earache on planes. I've had a lot of problems with my ears and hearing generally - including an infection in the mastoid bone, perforated eardrums, etc. - but the pain I get on flights when landing is worse than that and it is getting worse as I get older. The special earplugs for airplane use do help a bit. A couple of years ago I still I had pain the ear 3 days after landing.

I suffer horrific earache when the plane starts to land. I take sudofed for a few days before I fly and I think it helps a little. I can have pain for days afterwards too. I'm flying in a couple of weeks and already dreading it.