Re: Question about flying...

[Guest guest]

The main problem with flying is to do with the Eustachian tube being blocked, which means that the pressure insice the ear is unequal to the surrounding cabin pressure. Longstanding Eustachian tube dysfunction or even a bad cold could cause could make flying very painful - particularly during the rapid pressure change as the plane descends. This is only an issue if your ear is completely sealed. If your eardrum is perforated or absent then there is no pressure to equalize and there shouldn't be a problem. If you're likely to have these kind of problems, doctors will often advise using a nasal spray and the flight attendants usually have these in their medical cabinents too. Alternatively you vcan use any or the various techiques that will help to open the Eustachian tubes or you can just remember to keep swallowing regularly, sucking sweets etc. (tubes are supposed to open when you swallow or yawn). There are also devices you can buy which you insert into your ear "ear planes" - I don't know it these are effective.

The second issue with flyiing is diizziness. If you are already having imbalance problems, and depending on what is causing it, flying can result in vertigo and you can feel quite ill, I flew long haul last year, my head spun all the way. I got off the staggered off the plane, sweating profusely - so much so that the customs and immigration picked me up as a "suspicious person". It took me a full week to recover after both legs of theat journey. As I say though, that kind of thing is only likely to happpen if you already have some issue with your balance. Here's a link that mentions both the dizziness and pressure problems

http://www.tchain.com/otoneurology/treatment/flying.html

Question about flying...

I can understand not flying while healing after surgery, but has anyone been restricted to not flying BEFORE surgery? I just got offered a job that would have me traveling next weekend and it's not something I want to turn down unless I absolutely HAVE to. Any thoughts?? I've left a message with the doctors but am impatient for an answer. Thanks

[Guest guest]

Thanks for all your info! So is the bottom line that if I can manage

to get through the pain I don't have to worry about doing more

actual damage to my ear? The past few times I have flown have

actually been OK painwise I have yet...thank God!...not been dizzy

EVER.

> The main problem with flying is to do with the Eustachian tube

being blocked, which means that the pressure insice the ear is

unequal to the surrounding cabin pressure. Longstanding Eustachian

tube dysfunction or even a bad cold could cause could make flying

very painful - particularly during the rapid pressure change as the

plane descends. This is only an issue if your ear is completely

sealed. If your eardrum is perforated or absent then there is no

pressure to equalize and there shouldn't be a problem. If you're

likely to have these kind of problems, doctors will often advise

using a nasal spray and the flight attendants usually have these in

their medical cabinents too. Alternatively you vcan use any or the

various techiques that will help to open the Eustachian tubes or you

can just remember to keep swallowing regularly, sucking sweets etc.

(tubes are supposed to open when you swallow or yawn). There are

also devices you can buy which you insert into your ear " ear

planes " - I don't know it these are effective.

>

> The second issue with flyiing is diizziness. If you are already

having imbalance problems, and depending on what is causing it,

flying can result in vertigo and you can feel quite ill, I flew long

haul last year, my head spun all the way. I got off the staggered

off the plane, sweating profusely - so much so that the customs and

immigration picked me up as a " suspicious person " . It took me a

full week to recover after both legs of theat journey. As I say

though, that kind of thing is only likely to happpen if you already

have some issue with your balance. Here's a link that mentions both

the dizziness and pressure problems

>

> http://www.tchain.com/otoneurology/treatment/flying.html

> Question about flying...

>

>

>

> I can understand not flying while healing after surgery, but has

> anyone been restricted to not flying BEFORE surgery? I just got

> offered a job that would have me traveling next weekend and it's

not

> something I want to turn down unless I absolutely HAVE to. Any

> thoughts?? I've left a message with the doctors but am impatient

for

> an answer. Thanks

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Several months ago, someone in this group recommended " earplanes " a brand

of ear plugs for flying. I got them at Target and they seemed to equalize

the pressure for a painless flight. I haven't heard of restrictions before

surgery either, but there seem to be so many different individual

situations.

Let us know what you find out.

le

----------

>From: edgfan14 <netalee_noy@...>

>cholesteatoma

>Subject: Question about flying...

>Date: Fri, Oct 29, 2004, 3:15 AM

>

>

>

> I can understand not flying while healing after surgery, but has

> anyone been restricted to not flying BEFORE surgery? I just got

> offered a job that would have me traveling next weekend and it's not

> something I want to turn down unless I absolutely HAVE to. Any

> thoughts?? I've left a message with the doctors but am impatient for

> an answer. Thanks

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I found out that I can definitely fly. I also just remembered that I

flew about a month ago with no pain and no problem and I'm sure that

the c-toma was well in effect at that time already so...

I'm going for it and I'll let you know. THanks!

> Several months ago, someone in this group recommended " earplanes "

a brand

> of ear plugs for flying. I got them at Target and they seemed to

equalize

> the pressure for a painless flight. I haven't heard of

restrictions before

> surgery either, but there seem to be so many different individual

> situations.

> Let us know what you find out.

>

> le

>

> ----------

> >From: edgfan14 <netalee_noy@y...>

> >cholesteatoma

> >Subject: Question about flying...

> >Date: Fri, Oct 29, 2004, 3:15 AM

> >

>

> >

> >

> > I can understand not flying while healing after surgery, but has

> > anyone been restricted to not flying BEFORE surgery? I just got

> > offered a job that would have me traveling next weekend and it's

not

> > something I want to turn down unless I absolutely HAVE to. Any

> > thoughts?? I've left a message with the doctors but am impatient

for

> > an answer. Thanks

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >