Sinus/pain relief when flying - peppers

[Jase4224]

Anyone that has sinus problems that causes their sinuses to inflame and 'block' often may have experienced EXTREME pains that feels like nails being driven into your head during an airplane flight.

I have had this happen to me a number of times and my research (googling) has revealed that it is a result of sinuses being blocked and preventing equalisation of pressure in your head. Apparently this is quite common though I have only met one other person who has experienced it as far as I know.

This happens the worst for me during landing and believe me it's seriously painful. Literally turns me into a crying sweating mess squeezing my head in my hands thinking I'm gonna die. If anything that's an understatement!

So how to prevent this?... Well in my case alcohol and sulphur (preservative used in wine) are two things I know of that causes my sinuses to inflame and block. Having a cold or flu is also a cause. So I avoid drinking alcohol within 18 or so hours of a flight and I avoid flying when I'm sick if I can BUT sometimes they just block up anyway..... that's where peppers come in!

As you would all know spicy food clears you right up real fast. So last week when I went on an airplane to visit family I took a fresh pepper with me and gobbled it during descent and what a difference! The pain did started before I ate it but as soon as the heat kicked in it was like a valve opened and released.. NO MORE PAIN for the return flight I took some habanero hot sauce (customs won't allow fresh peppers back into West Oz) and again used it to clear me up and it worked a treat.

Never again will I fly without a bottle of hot sauce. This awesome fruit saves me from excruciating pain and means I can fly comfortably again.

I hope this info is helpful to anyone who has had similar experiences. Peppers are the best

Ps you can get special ear plugs that help too. These are good but I did not have them for this flight.

 

[mikeg]

Congratulations ! It always makes me happy to hear that somebody else has found a way to use peppers as medicine. I use it for neuropathy, where it makes the difference between having a meaningful life and holding a job... or not being able to walk.

A year or two ago, i posted on a thread discussing peppers for various medical purposes, and jokingly suggested that, for all the diverse applications peppers could have in medicine, they would never be used as eyedrops, nasal spray, or suppositories. Boy-oh-boy, did i ever get a surprise !!

It seems that, at very low concentrations, capsaicinoids are VERY useful in eyedrops and nasal sprays for some medical issues. It's one of the few times i've been a smart-aleck, yet learned something very useful. (Admittedly, i think my predictions about capsaicinoid-containing suppositories are going to hold true, but i digress...).

Anyway, with the rigorously strict regulations in air travel these days, you may find trouble even bringing hot pepper sauce on a plane. If so, either nasal sprays or eyedrops might avail you relief.
They might even act faster or more effectively, by themselves -- or in conjunction with ingested pepper products.

I have sinus troubles too -- due to dust/pollen/cat allergies -- and discovered that the herb fenugreek is good for this. (For what it's worth, i think that the essential oil trigonellone is the agent responsible for this). This might also help, with or without peppers.

Just chipping in my own 2 cents worth. Thank you for this thread.

 

[cloudhand]

I to have this issue when flying. The first time it happened I was a mess upon landing. You describe it well, and the descent is the worst. I have not had this happen for at least a year... and now I know why... increased use of hot peppers. I travel with a small test tube of super hot powder and usually have a little bite to eat with that powder before boarding. I agree that hot peppers really open up my sinuses and is probably why I haven't had pain while flying for quite some time now.
 
Thanks for sharing!!!