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Flight travel and blocked nose
- Question
- Dear experts,
we are flying to Florida (9 hours) with our daughter (10 years old). She has a blocked nose for a longer time, that is treated with the PariSinus® device and nasal shower and nasal cortinsone.
She always has great pain during landing. Can one do even more? Is such a long air travel too risky, then?
Many thanks for your answer. - Answer
- Dear family, planning a flight to Florida.
In general, the airing of the middle ear seems to be impaired in case of your daughter.
The tympanic cavity of the middle ear is connected with the nasopharyngeal space via the tuba auditiva or eustachian tube, that is 30-35 mm long in adults. Via this tube, differences of the pressure - as during take-off and landing of a flight - are conmpensated.
In case of CF problems can occur here: also the mucosa of the nose and its sinuses have an impaired ion channel (CFTR defect). Therefore, CF patients have in general an rhinosinusitic involvement, that can present in case of your daughter as a swelling of the nasal mucosa, probably also obstruction of the nasal ways via secretions, pus and polyps. In order to differentiate this, a presentation at the ENT specialist seems to be senseible. An operation in the ENT area, however, does not solve the underlying problem of the CFTR defect in the nasal mucosa. This is the reason why it comes especially often to relapses in case of CF.
I would prepare the next flight. Beginning some weeks before, the consequent usage of steriod-containing nasal sprays like Flutide® nasally at night, in case the nose is totally blocked also for 5 days decongestive nasal drops or sprays. On the day of the flight removal of secretions and crusts from the upper airways via nasal shower. Before the flight and also again before landing usage of decongestive nasal drops or sprays. Additionally swallowing or chewing have a positive effect on the airing, so that using chewing gum or drinking is sensible.
I wish you a good flight with hopefully less complaints.
PD Dr. Jochen Mainz - 24.06.2014
