Quick Question

[BlackDog421]

I haven't found this in the forums yet: Ive only flown a couple times, but when we were landing, I had pain in my ears, which is pretty usual right? They tell you to chew gum because moving the jaw muscles calms it or whatever. Is it normal to have this pain when changing altitude (descending mostly)? How do you deal with that in Military Aviation?

 

[MattWSU]

Did you have a cold or do you have sinus problems? Pain like that is associated with an ear or sinus block. Caused when the air in your Eustachian Tubes is unable to equalize with the outside air pressure.

Read up on it here:
http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim/Chap8/aim0801.html

 

[BlackDog421]

I don't remember being sick, and I don't have sinus problems that I know of. Chewing gum seemed to help. So pretty much its the same thing as equalizing when you scuba dive using the valsalva I'm guessing, but how easy is it to do that while flying?

good info, by the way.

 

[MasterBates]

You get used to it.. A sort of "yawning" motion works for me, those few times they don't go on their own.

 

[BlackDog421]

Good... just making sure its not a big deal. I don't think I have any sinus problems so sounds like this sort of thing takes care of itself. I guess I'll find out more when i take flying lessons this summer.

 

[HeyJoe]

Preemptive valsalva especially if you are making rapid ascent or descent. In fast movers, you also need to see the flight doc if you think you have an sinus issues because the pain is incredible if you get a sinus block and you're then med down or could do permanent damage. Always make sure you feel/hear both ears clear!! Valsalva becomes second nature after you are used it.

BTW - oxygen masks are made to be able to pinch the nose to perform valsalva without removing the mask.

 

[BlackDog421]

BTW - oxygen masks are made to be able to pinch the nose to perform valsalva without removing the mask.

Was wondering about that. Thanks for the info guys

 

[eddie]

BTW - oxygen masks are made to be able to pinch the nose to perform valsalva without removing the mask.

That's friggin awesome!

I wish my snorkel mask worked like that...

 

[Bernie Kosar]

So what about flying with a cold and nasal congestion..... is this safe or potentially harmful?

 

[MasterBates]

Don't do it.

You can seriously fvck your sinuses and ears up..

Especially in flight school, with spins, PAs, what have you.

 

[Gatordev]

So what about flying with a cold and nasal congestion..... is this safe or potentially harmful?

There's another recent thread about this. No matter what the aircraft...okay, maybe not blimps...it's just not worth it.

 

[FlyinSpy]

Preemptive valsalva especially if you are making rapid ascent or descent.

It's been 3 years and 49 weeks since I was last in swim/phys (I'm going again in 2 weeks...) but I seem to recall getting yelled at about valsalva on the ascent. Descent, absolutely, but not on the ascent - easy way to blow out your eardrums. My google-fu shows plenty of citations about descent, but no warnings about the ascent. Anyone have a better memory (or understanding of barotrauma...) than me?

 

[Flash]

It's been 3 years and 49 weeks since I was last in swim/phys (I'm going again in 2 weeks...) but I seem to recall getting yelled at about valsalva on the ascent. Descent, absolutely, but not on the ascent - easy way to blow out your eardrums. My google-fu shows plenty of citations about descent, but no warnings about the ascent. Anyone have a better memory (or understanding of barotrauma...) than me?

I don't remember that one........

 

[Brett327]

It's been 3 years and 49 weeks since I was last in swim/phys (I'm going again in 2 weeks...) but I seem to recall getting yelled at about valsalva on the ascent. Descent, absolutely, but not on the ascent - easy way to blow out your eardrums. My google-fu shows plenty of citations about descent, but no warnings about the ascent. Anyone have a better memory (or understanding of barotrauma...) than me?

I know "theoretically" it doesn't make sense to valsalva while ascending, but in practice, it just works - seems to get the flow moving. 17 years of flying and 20 years of diving and I've valsalva'd on the way up and down.

Brett

 

[ArkhamAsylum]

Memory serving, the valsalva forces more fluid into your eardrum area, which will balance with the increased air pressure due to a descent. In theory, if you increase the inner pressure while reducing the outer pressure (on an ascent), you could rupture something. And I think that is bad.