Sinus problems

[fc2spyguy]

Okay, I'm just wondering if anyone has ever experienced sinus problems. Every now and then when I'm on a flight either in a pressurized cabin or not, I have problems with pressure in my sinuses. It also happened once under canopy skydiving. It feels like my forehead is going to blow up, and there isn't a thing I can do about it, except ground myself the rest of the day. Has anyone ever had this, is it a reason to see a doctor or something that's normal?

 

[Fly Navy]

Can you valsalva?

 

[fc2spyguy]

valsalva?

 

[Gatordev]

Yes, I've had the occassioal problem, and it's not a good thing to keep flying w/ it like that. You have the potential to eventually blow a sinus. Fly, valsalva actually doesn't have anything to do w/ the sinus, despite all the "training" we've been told about. Since I've moved back to Florida, I've been fighting a sinus thing off and on (to no avail, so far), and gotten some extra info on the whole physiological side of things up there. I never realized that the two aren't even connected (sinus and inner ear), but in hindsight, it makes sense. Granted, I'm no doc, and I'm sure Feddoc can give more info, but the short of it is, don't screw around w/ it if you have the pain.

Valsava is when you yawn or plug your nose and blow and makes your ears pop.

 

[fc2spyguy]

oh, the whole pinch the nose thing? Yes, I've been scuba diving for a long time, and never had any problems equalizing there. Though that doesn't seem to help when I have the problem at altitude.

 

[Fly Navy]

Fly, valsalva actually doesn't have anything to do w/ the sinus, despite all the "training" we've been told about.

Eh, our docs have told us if we have a sinus issue but can still valsalva we should be ok. Unless it's a sinus infection... that can be baaaaad juju.

 

[Gatordev]

Eh, our docs have told us if we have a sinus issue but can still valsalva we should be ok. Unless it's a sinus infection... that can be baaaaad juju.

Ahh, I see what you're saying. Yeah, my issue was a sinus infection. But even if your just "inflamed" and the infection is on its way out, it could still cause problems, as blowing into your schnoz isn't going to do any kind of equilizing inside the pressure vessel of the sinus.

I just like saying "pressure vessel."

 

[Fly Navy]

Ahh, I see what you're saying. Yeah, my issue was a sinus infection. But even if your just "inflamed" and the infection is on its way out, it could still cause problems, as blowing into your schnoz isn't going to do any kind of equilizing inside the pressure vessel of the sinus.

I just like saying "pressure vessel."

Best option for the original poster... talk to the doc. Maybe he can give you some neat drugs.

You said "vessel".

 

[The Stinkster]

Sinus problems in the air are no joke. You risk several things including blown ear drums, and blown sinus. Ignoring a blocked sinus in the air (unable to clear) canlaed to chronic sinus infection, which in flight school will down you for a very long time. I have seen a couple of cases while an advanced IP where a blown sinus downed a stud for a long time, and then the condition never really rectified and the individual was MPQ'd. I also saw a couple in the fleet where a guy blew his ear drum (recovered) and another guy had chronic problems and had to quit flying for good. The flight surgeons recommend a bottle of Affrin to take along, or some saline in case you have a block, but if you have a recurring problem, it is something that you need to have checked out.

 

[feddoc]

Yea, what The Stinkster said.


Get your carcass to an ENT doc, fc2spyguy. It is not worth the potential screwup of your career before it gets started.

 

[FlyMikeFly]

Call me what you will, but would somebody explain "valsalva" please?

 

[feddoc]

My definition: Pinch your nose shut, keep you mouth shut. Attempt, using slight pressure, to force air through your nose. You should feel your ear drums pop. During a flight physical, the doc will look in each ear as you do this to see if your eardrum moves. If it does, it is further evidence that you likely do not have a sinus problem.

 

[Schnugg]

I flew a sortie in the FRS with a student pilot in the Tomcat. On our descent from 16k over Vulcan Mtn to the break he began to experience pain in his ear. He equated it to a hot poker in the eardrum. Ouch.

The lower we went, the worse it got. So I requested a level off and small climb from ATC. Told them why. They were very easy to work with. We had the gas and time, so we held for while and slowly worked it down lower and lower.

Although it hurt less, he was in so much pain, he was unable to hold altitude +/- 500 feet on our final leg for a straight in.

I had an ambulance waiting at the line as we shut down. He was literally lifted out of the jet.

Diagnosis was a complete ear block. Cause unknown...never happened again. But he luckily was up and flying again in short order (4 or 5 days later) after seeing a flight Doc.

I've only had one sinus episode in all my years of flying. Descending to the break at the ship, I felt a sensation like something was pushing on my eyebrow. A knitting needle perhaps. I reached up to brush whatever it was away and my hand hit my visor. Immediate concern, as there is nothing against my face.

The sensation then just went away as quick as it showed up. Sort of freaked me out because it really felt like someone pushing something sharp into my eyebrow.

If congested: Do Not Fly. You may be able to clear your ears...but your sinuses are another thing.

 

[skim]

Oh this remindes me of a story (im bored at work),
When I was on a flight to Phoenix a few years back with a re covering head cold, the pilot warned us he would have to make a sharp turn and descent to line up with the runway. As he descended sharply I had the most horrendous pain in my head and felt as though my teeth were gonna shoot out of my mouth. The attendent heard my scream and tried to get me to pop my ears, chew gum etc. but to no avail. For the rest of the week I could barely chew and the it took almost a week for the pain to go away. Whenever I am asked by a doctor if the pain I am experiancing is a 1 or 10, I use the feelings of my head exploding as a guide.

 

[NozeMan]

In the process of having my first run in w/ this situation. I've had a bout w/ bronchitis as well as some rough, recurring allergies this past year and have my ENT visit at NAMI tomorrow. Hoping for the best....