From: "Steve Harris" <sbharris@ix.RETICULATEDOBJECTcom.com>
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: ENT question / Re: Flying and ear pain
Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 12:46:21 -0700
Message-ID: <b8enq9$ffi$1@slb1.atl.mindspring.net>

Yes, and by FAR the best decongestants are the 12 hr
oxymetazolone nose-sprays. So long as you don't use them
before flying, and you DO take them on board and use them
*just* before getting on the plane, or just before
descending, if that's your big segment problem (this avoids
tolerance and rebound problems).

I use 12-hr sprays religiously in scuba where of course the
problems are much worse (you have to equalize an extra 2 or
3 atmospheres, not a measly 0.2 atm).  They work well for
this, so long as not abused.

SBH


"Kent H." <kh6444@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:3EAAB3EF.76DDEF60@attbi.com...
> Absolutely! A decongestant is a good idea when flying to help prevent
> the eustachian tubal dysfunction. If you tolerate them well they can be
> taken to prevent the syndrome.
>
> Beverly Erlebacher wrote:
> >
> > In article <3EA9F21C.FB2C095A@attbi.com>, Kent H. <kh6444@attbi.com> wrote:
> > >Without reading through all of their mickey mouse rhetoric, any claim
> > >that an external device placed on the ear or anywhere else in the
> > >body will reduce the effect of barotrauma when ascending or
> > >descending is not only a joke, but an attempt to steal. You have to
> > >learn how to valsalva when descending. That's all there is to it.
> >
> > I've found that pseudephedrine (e.g. Sudafed) is helpful, especially
> > if you have a cold when you're flying.