[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Many people use tricks and hacks to help them complete difficult tasks, but no one expects their doctor to be able to take shortcuts when diagnosing their illnesses.

Sinusitis sufferers often adverse experience symptoms and therefore tend not to enjoy “invasive procedures” every time they go to the doctor for an examination or diagnosis.

A common sinus examination method involves using a local anaesthetic and an endoscope to take a peek into a patient’s nose. The process isn’t exactly painful, but rather uncomfortable.

Light ’em up:

This is where transillumination comes in – a method many medical practitioners use to pinpoint issues in patients young and old.

Your paranasal sinuses are small pockets in your skull, with the larger areas located in the cheek region, next to your nose and toward the centre of your forehead, just above your eyebrows.

Maxillary Sinuses:

To examine the maxillary sinuses – the cavities located in the skull on either side of your nose – doctors would ask you to slightly tilt your head back and open your mouth.

They would then place the torch on to your cheek where your sinus cavities are located, cover the eye just above the cavity and look at the colour projected on your palate.

Frontal Sinuses:

To examine the cavities in your forehead, a healthcare professional would place the torch in the area next to the bridge of the nose and the eyebrow. They would then cover the torch and eye socket, watching out for the red glow on the forehead.

Should the glow be red and clear, it’s considered normal, but if the colour is murky and matted, there may be a mucus build up and the possibility of an infection, needing immediate treatment.

Another less invasive method:

Healthcare professionals also use the technique of gently tapping the sinus cavities to diagnose minor sinus conditions.

If there is no infection or inflammation, it should give off a hollow sound, but if there’s mucus build-up, the sound may be muffled and dull.

Instead of needing to perform a big, invasive examination with specialised equipment, your healthcare professional may only need to use his hands or a simple household tool – a torch.

Stefan Herbert

Flying can wreak havoc on your ears and sinuses with the radical changes in air pressure.

If you’re prone to sinus infections and have a flight planned, you are probably expecting to be in pain – but it doesn’t have to be that way. 

Every day your body produces about one litre of mucus, which picks up and flushes out foreign particles, bacteria and air pollutants. When your body is functioning optimally, the mucus is simply flushed down your throat and into your stomach where the acid destroys the bad bacteria. 

When your sinuses become infected, inflamed or congested, the mucus collects and your sinus cavities become blocked and painful.

Why you feel the change in air pressure

It’s natural to be more acutely aware of changes in air pressure when you’re flying, and the physics are quite simple. Air expands when the atmospheric pressure decreases. Take a balloon for example – if it holds three litres of air on the ground, by the time a plane has reached cruising altitude, it will have expanded to hold four litres of air. 

If your sinuses are blocked, the increase in air pressure will most likely cause you a great deal of discomfort.

Relieving the pressure

Fortunately there are easy ways to alleviate the pain associated with sinusitis during a flight. Dr Garrett Bennett, a rhinoplasty and sinus surgeon based in New York, suggests the following: 

1. Saline solution
The dry air and low humidity will cause discomfort but using a saline solution can help keep your sinuses moist. Dr Bennett says you should spray each nostril once an hour. 

2. Decongestant spray
Although doctors warn that your nose can develop a tolerance to decongestant sprays if used too frequently, you should try to use one a few hours before boarding your flight.

“It will not only decongest your nasal passage but will also allow you to breathe properly and decrease the effects of pressure changes during your flight,” Dr Bennett explains. 

3. Hydration
Make sure you stay hydrated throughout the flight. “Hydration is a key part of preventing the onset of sinusitis while up in the air,” says Dr Bennett.

Drink between five and eight glasses of water before and during the flight so your body remains hydrated and your sinus cavities stay moist. 

4. Steam
The dry cabin air will decrease the mucus flow in your nose, which allows bacteria and viruses to stick around.

“Dry air is one of the biggest causes of sinus infections, especially for those of us who are naturally predisposed to acute or chronic sinusitis,” Dr Bennett explains.

Steam can help keep your sinuses moist, but where can you find steam on a flight? Order a cup of tea and breathe in the steam before drinking it.

Medication and travel

If you need to carry any medication, check with the airline to make sure you are allowed to take it on board in your hand luggage, especially if you are travelling internationally and it is a liquid.

Also find out whether you will need to carry a copy of the prescription. Ensure you have enough medication to last you throughout your trip, plus some extra – you do not want to be caught without your meds if there are any delays. 

No danger to your health

Although flying with sinusitis is bound to be uncomfortable, it is unlikely to be dangerous. Keep your nasal passages moist during the flight and speak to your doctor if you have any concerns about a sinus infection and an upcoming flight. 

Mandy Freeman