Sinus pain

[SpeedRacer 1]

This has happened three times in the last two months. Just as I'm descending to near pull altitude, I get a sudden massive pain in my sinuses. Once it was behind my right eye. Yesterday it seemed to be on the right side of my face above my upper jaw. The weird thing is, I'm not congested, and I don't have a cold or any kind of pollen allergies. Has this happened to anyone else, and what can you do about it?
Speed Racer
Brew Skies

[Deleted 0]

I don't know what to tell you, dude, but the same thing has happened to me, but I do have allergies. But I'm not sure I'd go with decongestants- they can mess with your head.
anyone else have this happen?

[chronistin 0]

I met a girl who had the same problems, she said it happens always when she has undergone a climate change, i.e. going far south or after a heavy change of weather. she couldn't/wouldn't jump for 3 or 4 days, but after that, it was alright again.

[Dirtsucks 0]

Speedracer – I’ve never heard of any like that happening outside of having a cold/sinus infection or allergies. Maybe talk to a doctor who’s an Aviation Medical Examiner. They check for sinus equilibrium or whatever it’s called when you get a Medical Certificate so they might know. I’ve been really wondering about allergies. In mid to late summer my allergies make life very miserable, even with prescription drugs. Back when I used to fly it would really screw with me on descents. Any skydivers have to deal with that?
Josh

[Yooper 0]

The same thing has happened to me on several occasions. I usually use an over the counter sinus medication( Tylenol Sinus) or someting like that. The poblem wih a condition like this is that you don't have to be congested for this to happen. Your sinuses could be plugged and you might not even know it. If your sinuses are plugged they can't regulate the pressure. A safe tip is if you feel any sort of sinus pain on the way to altitude, then it's time to get out of the plane. It will only get worst if you try to tough it out. Hope this helps.
Blue Ones,
Chad

[Deleted 0]

Hey, SpeedRacer,
This is zelda, by the way; didn't sign in...
Anyway, I don't know if this is of any use to you, but my mother just had sinus surgery as a result of ongoing, chronic sinus troubles. A lot of people have to have this surgery to clean out polyps, infection, etc. If you're having this pain, it's an indication that something is going on, even if you don't feel like you have an infection. See an ENT doctor; they'll likely do a CAT scan of your sinuses to see if there's anything in there that shouldn't be (and it sounds like there is). The surgery (if you even need it) is done on an outpatient basis, but you wouldn't be able to jump for at least 2 months.
Just an FYI...
-zelda

[VivaHeadDown 0]

It's happened to me from time to time, usually during really stressful periods. I was a big nose bleeder as a kid, and though I don't really get nose bleeds anymore, my sinuses will react to temp/humidity/pressure in sensitive ways at times. Sometimes you just have to call it quits for the day and go home. It sucks, but the alternative is to start forcing drugs into your system, and it's a personal rule of mine not to mix any kind of drugs with skydiving, not even over the counter stuff. Wish I had a more optimistic aproach for you, but sometimes bad things just happen.

[Billy 0]

Yo SpeedRacer!
This bites,, I have major allergies and with the nice weather it's part of the Spring thing,, 1st a tip,, then a ?? Make sure your well hydrated,, beers, coffee, soda doesn't count,, they all make ya piss more and dry ya out even worse,, ya need moist "mucuous" membranes,, ya should be pissin clear at least once a day from just good ol H20,, simple flight physics,, as ya go up the air in your sinuses expands and vents easily out via them lil tubes,,even when congested,, but if your dry them tubes collapse very easily and it's definately worse on the descent,, ya create a vacuum in your head!! Ya no shit!! And believe me it's much harder to equalize but the same techniques help,, ie hold your nose and blowin etc,, but the sinuses, especially the ones behind your eye's are deep and harder ta do that to,, ??? Do ya jump with a full face helmet?? my bud never had probs with his ears till he got one and now he has ta pop his face shield and pop the ears as soon as he's done doin the control checks,, it's nuthin abnormal in most cases,, do ya have trouble with high Mtn passes?? My sinuses are like an altimeter and have ta be popped every 500 ft,, up and down when they act up,, I fly an open face helmet and never had ta pop ears after a jump,, just a thought,, good luck!!
Blues,,,
Billy

[SpeedRacer 1]

It's interesting that you say that. I do have a full face helmet. But this sinus thing has only happened in the last two months, and I've had the full face helmet since Sepetember. But I don't have allergies.
Last time it happened, the pain was over my right upper jaw, and it felt almost like it was happening at the roots of my teeth! Weird. I'd never felt anything like that before. I had a sinus headache that made me sit out the rest of the day. But I'll try that hydration thing. I've always noticed that the air seems to get very dry on the flight to altitude.
Speed Racer
Brew Skies

[freeflyguy 0]

You might see a Doc.
There was a guy on a load talking about this problem on the way up this weekend. He said he "blew out" his sinus the week or so before, on a load. Well, he did it again on that jump. For him, it is a sinus infection, and over the counter stuff won't help. So he quit for the day, and is going back to the Dr. Be careful, you could really blow something up, if you are totally plugged.

[Cacophony 0]

Been there. Hurts like hell doesn't it? I wasn't conjested either when it happened to me. My head hurt for a week after that one. I don't really have any advice so I'll just shut up now.

Safe landings,
Alex D-23912