| people have a tendency to come down with sinus | | | | One-half of a teaspoon of salt added to 8 oz. of |
| infections during or after air travel. The four steps | | | | water is a proper mixture. I personally use a product |
| discussed in this article can help provide sinus | | | | called Breathe-ease XL® for both nasal irrigation |
| pressure relief for those who travel by air on a | | | | and for making a spray bottle without preservative, |
| regular basis. | | | | and this will be good to use for about a week. These |
| There are a number of reasons why people who are | | | | saline sprays offer sinus pressure relief by keeping |
| susceptible to sinus infections tend to contact them | | | | the nasal membranes irrigated and maintaining proper |
| during air travel. Sharing stale air in close proximity to | | | | drainage. |
| others is certainly one reason, and oftentimes this air | | | | Use the Modified Valsalva Maneuver |
| contains more bacteria and viruses than the air in our | | | | Dr. M. Lee Williams describes the maneuver in his |
| normal living environments. The low humidity in plane | | | | book “The Sinusitis Help Book”. To do |
| cabins is another contributing factor. The dry air we | | | | this one clamps the nose between the thumb and |
| breathe in airplanes tends to impair the normal | | | | forefinger, swallows, and then immediately blows into |
| mucous-cilia system and make people more prone to | | | | the nose without letting go. One should not blow |
| bacteria and viruses. Since airplane cabins are | | | | forcefully into the nose, a gentle pressure will suffice. |
| pressurized and the pressure is changing during climb | | | | Dr. Williams says that this should be done several |
| and descent, this can also have harmful effects. | | | | times per minute during ascent and especially descent |
| Four suggestions to obtain sinus pressure relief in | | | | as cabin pressure is changing during those times. It |
| conjunction with air travel include: drinking lots of | | | | should also be done several times per hour while the |
| water before and during long flights; using a saline | | | | plane is at altitude. It is important not to forget to |
| solution during the flight; doing the Modified Valsalva | | | | swallow just before blowing gently into the nose. |
| maneuver; and taking a decongestant before air | | | | Consider Taking a Decongestant Before the Flight |
| travel. | | | | I generally use flonase spray each night as part of |
| Drink Lots of Water | | | | my regular regime to combat sinus problems. |
| The air intake that occurs at very high altitudes to | | | | I’ll also use it about an hour or two before |
| ventilate plane cabins contains very dry air. Drinking | | | | any flight. On long flights to Europe, I’ll also |
| water prior to and during flights can help retain | | | | take 5 mg of prednisone. I find this keeps my nasal |
| moisture in the body and keep the nasal system as | | | | passages clear and functioning well, even though |
| moist as possible. In addition, alcohol and caffeine are | | | | flights to Europe from the U.S. are long. Prednisone |
| often consumed by people on long flights, and these | | | | should be used very sparingly, however, as it can |
| also tend to dehydrate people. Making an effort to | | | | cause damage to the immune system, so this should |
| drink water regularly on long flights can help avoid | | | | be taken only in consultation with your doctor. |
| dryness of the nasal passages. | | | | By realizing that the air in airplane cabins is stale, dry |
| Use Saline Solution Often During the Flight | | | | and often polluted, one can obtain sinus pressure |
| It is wise to bring a small bottle of saline solution | | | | relief by drinking lots of water before and during |
| along and use it every hour or so to help keep the | | | | flights, using a saline spray, doing the Modified |
| nose moist. Over the counter saline solutions all | | | | Valsalva maneuver as described above, and taking a |
| contain preservatives, and some people are bothered | | | | decongestant prior to takeoff, especially on long trips. |
| by these. It is possible to mix a solution yourself | | | | You should also try to simply avoid air travel if you |
| without preservatives and avoid this problem. | | | | have a cold and stuffiness prior to a trip. |