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Why does having a cold and being on a plane cause dizzy symptoms?

Posted , 3 users are following.

Mmbb10
Mmbb10

Can someone explain why this would happen? I’m asking about this for my cousin.

My cousin was on vacation and while she was on vacation she developed a cold. She was also in higher elevation..like the mountains..so she wasn’t feeling well pretty much the whole time.

She flew back home and she still had a cold while flying on the plane. And she said her ears felt clogged up while on the plane and it was hard for her to pop her ears. 

When she got off plane, she said she felt dizzy while walking in the airport and it felt like things were moving and spinning. The workers offered her a wheelchair but she declined.

She was still able to drive home though and was able to go to work the next day.

I’m just wondering why not being able to pop your ears while on a plane can cause dizzy symptoms when you get off the plane?

If you have a cold, should you not go on a plane then?

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Waffalobill
    Waffalobill Mmbb10

    Posted

    Flying with a cold can cause this. If your sinuses drain in your ears can cause this. My doc told me once she's had alot of patients complain about this. Usually steroids cleared it up.

    • Mmbb10
      Mmbb10 Waffalobill

      Posted

      Ok so if you have a cold, then you have like extra fluid and mucous in your sinuses and that drains in the ears..so then that causes feelings of dizziness and unbalanceness etc? Especially when this happens on a plane because of the air pressure changes. And the pressure changes can be worse for ears that are clogged up, correct?

      I just want to make sure I’m explaining this correctly to my cousin.

    • Waffalobill
      Waffalobill Mmbb10

      Posted

      My primary doc told me she's had patients with no issues get vertigo after flying. Inflammation and fluid in the inner ear don't like it. Why you need to pop your ears when you take off. My knee doc was explaining to me the pressure changes and that it greatly effects joints that have been operated on. The capsule is no longer sealed. The barometric pressure then will effect them greatly til the pressure in the unsealed joint equalizes. He then asked if I ever flew with a head cold. I said no. He said the flight should be ok. It's when you land you will have issues from the pressure changes. The head cold may not allow your ears to pop or pressure to equalize. The extra fluid in your ears can cause crystals to float around and end up in a place that causes vertigo. Dehydration can cause your symptoms as well.

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